Delaware County Theft Tough On Small Business Owner

By Craig Day, The News On 6

Delaware County, OK – It's hard enough for small business owners to make a living with the economy. It's even harder when thieves steal a critical piece of equipment.

A Green Country business owner knows that painful truth firsthand.

"I guess I'm old enough to where it wouldn't bother me as much as it probably would have 10 years ago; I guess I've come to realize things happen," said Jim Husong, Husong Roofing Services.

Jim Husong is trying not to let a theft at his Delaware County roofing business bother him too much, but when thieves steal something you need for your livelihood, it's hard not to be upset.

"They've got more nerve than I've got - but that's a thief, you know," Husong said.

Early Monday morning at about three, thieves loaded seven pallets of shingles onto one of Husong's trucks at his business off Highway 412 in Delaware County and took off, truck and all.

The thieves cut through a fence, went across a pasture with the loaded down truck, and hit the highway. The truck is worth $15,000 dollars and the shingles, $7,000, which is a tough loss for a small business.

"You know, the economy is down, our jobs are low, so you know it's going to be tough to overcome," Husong said.

Since it has Husong's company logo on it, and is equipped with a scissor lift in the back, investigators hope it will stick out and can be found.

"If it's not taken apart and sold piece by piece, it will be found," said Husong.

Husong thinks the shingles are likely on someone's roof by now, but he'd sure like to get the truck back; it would make his job and running a business much easier.

Husong is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

The number for the Delaware County Sheriff's Office is 918-253-4531.