Thieves targeting work trailers in Hillsborough County

Several bay-area businesses are out tens of thousands of dollars after thieves stole two work trailers and broke into three others parked in a remote storage lot.

Hillsborough County Investigators determined a group cut the lock and drove onto the storage property at the end of Branchton Church Road, sometime between Friday night and early Sunday morning.

They drove off with a lawn maintenance trailer and a mobile auto-detailing trailer. Inside three others, owners reported lawn equipment missing and an expensive Chevy motor swiped as well.

"We're looking at probably, I'd say, close to $60,000 between the trailers and the equipment that was stolen," Eddie Palmer of Eddie Palmer's Auto Detailing explained.

What makes this theft so shocking for Eddie -- it happened right under his nose as he lives about 200-feet from the storage lot.

"All of the hard work I put into getting this equipment, this trailer, and now it's all gone," Eddie added. "Have you ever got punched in the stomach? You don't know what to think. It doesn't hit you right away. It leaves you speechless. What can you say? Because they're not going to bring it back."

Eddie's probably right, so he hopes someone can recognize his trailer, alert authorities, and maybe that could lead them to the rest of the stolen property.

He says his trailer is wrapped with "Eddie Palmer Auto Detailing" logos and decals – so he hopes it will be easy to spot.