Thieves have stolen materials handling equipment from across-the-street businesses in an industrial park in unincorporated Jefferson County near Watertown.

The county sheriff's department and New York state police are seeking additional information in investigations of separate incidents at the Fisher Road facilities of Timeless Frames LLC and Northeast Rentals & Sales.

Investigators for both agencies "are looking at like crimes in other parts of the state" and would welcome input, says Michael Pastuf, senior investigator in the state police office at Watertown.

Detective Scott Sterling with the sheriff's office reports Timeless Frames lost a Clark CMP 30 forklift with a 10,000 pound (4,500 kg) lifting capacity and a value of about USD15,000, a Toyota 7FGCU25 forklift with a 5,000 pound (2,250 kg) capacity and value of about USD8,900 and a Crown WP2335-45 self-propelled hand lift crate mover worth about USD4,000.

The perpetrators opened a portion of a metal wall to gain access to the Timeless Frames equipment during the weekend of 1 November. Timeless Frames occupies three buildings and manufactures picture frames for sale through retail outlets.

A week later, Northeast Rentals lost a Yale GLCO50 forklift with a 5,000 pound (2,250 kg) lifting capacity and value of USD11,000 and a Cat 226B skid-steer loader with a 1,500 pound (675 kg) lifting-mode capacity - and a value of USD30,000. "There were also computers taken from within the offices" of the equipment dealer, Pastuf notes.

Northeast Rentals & Sales represents 18 materials handling brands including JCB, Terex, Lull, Caterpillar and Deere.

Jefferson County shares a border with the Canadian province of Ontario along an extensive Lake Ontario shoreline in upper central New York State.