Molino Feed Store Burglary Under Investigation; Bobcat Loader Stolen

January 4, 2018

A burglary at a Molino farm store is under investigation.

The break-in was discovered Wednesday morning when HH Feed and Seed on Highway 97 opened for business after a long holiday weekend. They found that a $30,000 Bobcat skid steer loader had been taken from inside a warehouse, and merchandise inside the warehouse was damaged during the theft.

The owners said the thief apparently cut power to both buildings at about 1:38 a.m. Saturday in an attempt to disable the surveillance system, and they destroyed cameras. The skid steer was then loaded onto a trailer and removed from the premises.

HH Feed’s owners are offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects. They are hoping someone noticed unusual activity at the business after 1:30 a.m. Saturday, or noticed a truck and trailer there at about that time. Also, anyone that becomes aware of a white Bobcat T300 with a serial number ended in “8880″ for sale  is also asked to call law enforcement.

Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

Pictured above and inset: Wednesday morning, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigates a weekend burglary at HH Seed and Feed on Highway 97 near Molino Park Elementary School. Pictured below: Items in the company’s warehouse were damaged during the theft of a Bobcat skid steer loader. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

7 Responses to “Molino Feed Store Burglary Under Investigation; Bobcat Loader Stolen”

  1. Allen on January 5th, 2018 11:16 am

    There was a esco police car sitting so close to this area, had to be around the time the place was being robbed. We were on our way home from Atmore about 11:45ish..there was a police car parked there across from Molino School facing hwy 97 ( in front of that small Metal building) ,,This feed store it’s just the next driveway up on that curve from where this officer was parked..I’m assuming the officer was there to catch speeding cars or anything else out of the ordinary. So I’m thinking he/she likely was there whIle this was happening. I wonder if the officer may have seen the ones hauling this bobcat without realizing what was going on..unless the perp/perps went the opposite direction., I will mention that it was dark and from where the police car was sitting it would have been hard if not impossible to see anything going on because of the way that feed store is just as start to go around that curve. But there indeed was a ESCO right near that general area as this was going on.If the time is correct Saturday morning hours about 1:30am..I came through there near midnight. I recall commenting to my husband about the cop car in that unusual spot..that’s not where I usually see an esco parked, that late at night on hwy 97.

  2. local on January 5th, 2018 9:05 am

    I hate thieves. I have had only small stuff stolen from me, and it feels terrible. I did not know Bobcats cost so much, but they do. A new one can cost twice that – wow. Hope they find it / those who stole it.

  3. Burnie Silcox on January 4th, 2018 4:39 pm

    Three years ago we had a work trailer worth abt.$5,000 stolen. They altered a bit & painted but we had welded #s under frame.Found by Police in Baldwin Co. Ala.8 wks later. Theifs are in jail.Bet it will be within 50 miles…

  4. Randola on January 4th, 2018 8:59 am

    @ Grand Locust… Bobcat has been offering the option of digital keypad ignition for several years now. No key needed, at all, on our machine. But unless you know the 4 magic digits, well…. :-)

  5. rc on January 4th, 2018 7:49 am

    If it’s a later model bobcat there can be a security code you have to enter before it will start-if that’s the case I’ll bet that whoever stole it is known to them. Of course this all depends on whether or not it has the code system. Someone I know had one stolen and it was found and someone tried to go around the security system and wire in a switch but couldn’t get the brakes to release so they could operate it. It was assumed they used a winch to load it on a trailer when they stole it.I hope they find the machine quickly and return it and whoever stole it is arrested and convicted.

  6. Jcellops on January 4th, 2018 7:38 am

    This was a pretty high dollar robbery. I’m hoping the sheriff’s office felt it warranted dusting for prints.

  7. Grand Locust on January 4th, 2018 12:59 am

    The Bobcat can be started with any Bobcat key. Now they should have individual key codes. I guess they figure an operator will lose keys, and having everybody with a key that works lowers down time. Most people are putting GPS on their equipment. They are really inexpensive and can be hidden on the machine. That Bobcat is probably in Texas by now. I guess you could wire a hidden ignition switch, but most people could find the same in about three minutes.