Mid Coast Mower & Saw in Atascadero was burglarized early Saturday morning before the suspects committed a separate burglary in Paso Robles, according to Atascadero city officials.
Surveillance images show multiple suspects using a van that was reportedly stolen from a nearby Lutheran church to steal items from the store.
Store owners Margaret and Rick Wicks say they received a call from their security company around 4:35 a.m. following the burglary.
The Wicks say the suspects left the store in just minutes with six chainsaws and several accessories. The estimated value of the stolen merchandise is around $2,000, according to the store's owners.
The stolen van then traveled to Paso Robles where the suspects reportedly committed another burglary. According to an Atascadero city spokesperson, the van was later found off of Highway 46 near Cholome.
The Wicks say their store has been burglarized four times in the past, with the last incident happening nine years ago.
"Be vigilant. You see anybody that's out of the ordinary, something that's odd, you know, even if you're coming home in the middle of the night, that doesn't seem normal. Like I said, that doesn't mean you have to go investigate it. But it almost wouldn't hurt to, you know, call PD," said Margaret Wicks.
"The feeling you get after you've been robbed is not a good feeling," added Rick Wicks.
