Employees of Smoky Hill Feeders, located at 11513 S Soderberg Rd, discovered an apparent business theft when arriving at work on Sunday, June 4, just after 6 am. They found the front gate had been smashed, prompting an immediate investigation into the incident.
Upon closer inspection by the Saline County Sheriff's Department, it was discovered that a valuable piece of equipment was missing from the premises. The stolen item is described as a yellow Caterpillar skid steer loader, approximately 10-15 years old, and of the 262D model. The keys were taken along with the skid steer, which holds an estimated value of $30,000.
It is believed that a pickup truck with a trailer had approached the business premises. Someone entered the establishment, commandeered the skid steer loader, drove it through the fence causing the damage, loaded it onto the trailer, and made their getaway.
The broken front gate and damaged fence resulted in an estimated cost of $1,000.