Stolen fire truck recovered; now the question is who took it and left it stuck in the mud

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KSLA) — Someone stole a $204,000 fire truck then left it stuck in the mud.

Now the question is who did it.

These photos show the Natchitoches Fire District 10 brush truck before it was stolen and... — These photos show the Natchitoches Fire District 10 brush truck before it was stolen and afterward when it was left stuck in the mud.(Source: Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office)

The brush truck was taken right out of its station in Powhatan.

Someone forced their way through a door at Natchitoches Parish Fire Protection District 10 in the 100 block of Louisiana Highway 485.

Natchitoches sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of the burglary about 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18.

They learned that the red 2019 Ford F-550 brush fire truck with gold “Fire Protection Dist. 10 Powhatan, La” emblems on both doors had last been seen Jan. 15.

The Sheriff’s Office made a Facebook post about the theft at 11:17 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 asking for the public’s help in locating the stolen truck.

The Sheriff’s Office says hundreds of Facebook users shared the story.

“Within 2 hours, at approximately 1:00 p.m., one of our social media followers contacted NPSO Chief Deputy Greg Dunn providing him with a tip as to the location of the stolen vehicle off La. Hwy 3191 near Natchitoches, La.,” the Sheriff’s Office says in a post made at 2:39 p.m.

Deputies discovered the vehicle about 200 yards off of LA 3191 stuck in mud behind an old, abandoned house.

Fortunately, the truck doesn’t appear to be damaged ... just dirty.

The Sheriff’s Office still needs help figuring out who took the truck.

If you have any information, call the Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Bureau at (318) 357-7830. The detectives on the case are Lt. J. Byles and Sgt. C. LaCour.

Copyright 2023 KSLA. All rights reserved.