Two snowplow trucks were stolen from a Troy shopping plaza just hours before crews were scheduled to clear snow from the 25-acre parking lot, leaving a local business owner scrambling during the season's first major snowfall.

Jeff Smythe, owner of Cement-It, discovered his trucks missing when crews returned to the shopping plaza off John R Street and 14 Mile Road Saturday night. The trucks had been parked there in preparation for snow removal operations.

"Shock, utter disbelief," Smythe said.

Smythe believes the theft occurred around 9:30 p.m. when someone helped themselves to both vehicles, which had keys left inside so crews could quickly start and warm up the trucks for snow removal.

Security footage from a nearby business appears to have captured part of the theft.

"It shows a whi

See Full Page