Tree removal company equipment theft; business owner frustrated

MILWAUKEE - A tree removal company is trying to root out thefts. 

"I love the tree business. Every tree is different," said August Hoppe. "You’re doing something different. It’s problem-solving."

It is a career that takes adventure to new heights. But a recent problem on the ground is bothering the Hoppe Tree Service owner. 

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"You know, it’s really frustrating. The crew called and said someone had stolen all their saws out of the boxes," Hoppe said. 

A Wauwatosa Police Department document said the theft happened on Martha Washington Drive early in October. 

"We have these storage boxes on the side of each vehicle, and we keep them locked, but through the course of your day it's hard to keep them constantly locked as you come in and out of those boxes," Hoppe said. 

Hoppe said the crew was away from its work vehicles for a few minutes. He said when the workers came back, important equipment was gone. 

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"You’re trying to do this big tree job, and your tools are missing – you’re powerless," Hoppe said. 

Hoppe said this has happened a few times this year in different communities. The company is now changing its policies and protocols to better secure its equipment.

"If you’re a homeowner and someone is trying to sell you a cheap saw that you don’t know where it came from, don’t do it. It’s probably a stolen saw," Hoppe said. "This is not cool. This is our livelihood. When you steal our equipment, it’s really hard for us. Please try to do something constructive with your lives."

A police document shows the theft has cost the company thousands of dollars.