FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Police say they are investigating the thefts of scores of truck batteries in South Florida.
The batteries have been stolen in Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Lauderdale Lakes and Pompano Beach, officials told Friday's South Florida Sun Sentinel.
In January, 51 truck batteries were stolen in Oakland Park, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said.
"Never in 30 years have I seen batteries [stolen] before," Broward Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rick Lacerate said.
He said police believe the batteries are being sold after they're stolen.
Most of the batteries, which cost $100 to $250 each, have been stolen from trucks used for moving.
Police said 18 truck batteries were stolen in one night last weekend in Deerfield Beach and 10 were stolen out of five trucks in Fort Lauderdale in a two-day span last week.
Thieves have scaled fences to get to trucks and cut padlocks to get to batteries. The thefts began in front of businesses but Lacerate said in the past few weeks police have received reports of car batteries stolen at apartment complexes.
