A string of brazen thefts targeting school buses has now been linked to a neighborhood in Wheelersburg,
What started as a routine morning check by a Lawrence County bus mechanic quickly turned into a major criminal investigation. Arriving at the Rock Hill bus garage to prep vehicles for the day, the mechanic found something off: a battery door swinging open and a brand-new battery gone. Just two weeks earlier, that same bus had been hit.
When he looked closer, the picture grew worse. Five to six other buses had been broken into. GPS tablets and their stands were missing. One bus had its MARCS radio ripped out, with thieves cutting both the power cord and antenna cable to get it free.
Security footage later revealed a dark SUV pulling into the lot around 3:44 a.m., driving across the property and lingering near the buses. Just before 4 a.m., a figure in a dark hoodie, camo pants, and white shoes could be seen walking among the vehicles. By 4:11, the SUV was gone.
But the thieves made one big mistake: those stolen GPS tablets could be traced. District officials contacted the manufacturer, Tyler Tech, which quickly pinged one of the devices. By noon the same day, the signal led straight to Edwards Drive in Wheelersburg.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office immediately passed that lead to their counterparts in Scioto County. Deputies went to the residence, but the suspects weren’t found. The case remains under investigation.
School officials say the thefts are not just costly but dangerous, since the stolen radios and tablets are tools drivers rely on to communicate and safely manage routes.
For now, the mystery SUV and its masked passenger remain on the loose, but investigators hope the digital trail left by the stolen tech will help crack the case.
