There are no suspects yet in an early morning Jan. 1 burglary at TNT Autobody Supply Outlet in Toledo, Ohio, in which cash, tools, equipment, and other merchandise were stolen.
Surveillance video captured images of the suspect’s vehicle, a two-tone maroon and silver 1988-‘98-style GM pickup. It’s a regular-cab, long-bed pickup, and it’s believed to be a two-wheel-drive. It was rammed into several garage doors during the 1 a.m. break-in to gain access to various rooms of the store, which are partitioned and otherwise inaccessible through just one door, said Tyler Baird, who manages the store and owns it with his father, Tim Baird.
“They took some power tools that we had lying around, an air compressor, a spray gun, things we use for spray-outs,” he said. “It was miscellaneous stuff – we had some car t-shirts and jackets in the back, just kind of a plethora of things.”
Baird said many of the missing items were taken from the back room of the store, so he thinks the thieves may have gotten spooked midway through their spree. He said he was mostly done inventorying lost items, although down the road, he expects to discover other tools and items missing.
It will be something like when you go to use something you don’t use often, you’re going to try to figure out where it went and remember that somebody probably stole it.”
Although he could not recall more specific information about them, Baird said some of the store-use tools and equipment included a smaller (27-30-gallon) black air compressor; a 20-volt DeWalt drill set; a Ryobi drill set; and two 20-volt DeWalt 5-inch random-orbit sanders.
At the time of the break-in, father and son were preparing to gather supplies New Year’s Day to sell at a swap meet that weekend. So they also had extra cash set aside in the store to make change at the event, where they sell supplies, such as masking tape, sandpaper, body fillers, primers, and clearcoats.
“So we had to miss out on that, too, and those swap meets are part of how we fund our growth.”
Baird estimated the loss of the missing cash and the costs to replace missing inventory, store-use tools and equipment, and repair damage to the garage doors and brick facade will be between $20,000 and $30,000.
The suspects first made their appearance on Christmas, when Tim Baird, in the shop to catch up on paperwork, spotted them at the side of the building at about 3:30 p.m., Tyler Baird said.
“He walked outside and confronted them and asked them what they were doing. They said they were looking for paint. And he said, ‘No, it’s Christmas day; you’re not here to get paint. Get out of here before I hit you with this two-by-four.’”
His father called the police department to file a report, but no one ever showed, Baird said.
The business was in the process of installing a security fence at the time of the break-in, but only the posts had been set. Baird said the two are hopeful the suspects will be caught with the help of surveillance footage from New Year’s day at his store and from Christmas footage from the convenience store across the street.
TNT is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Anyone with tips on the break-in is urged to contact the Toledo Police Crimestopper hotline at (419)255-1111.