A Columbia man allegedly stole a $125,000 backhoe from a construction site in Chester County and made his getaway by driving it along major roads all the way to Philadelphia, police said.
William Michael Pusey, 33, on Sunday at around 2 p.m. took the backhoe from a site along Route 202 at the Route 401 off ramp in East Whiteland Township, state police at Embreeville Trooper Wesley P. Foster said.
Pusey didn't load the 2005 Case 580 Super M backhoe into a trailer, but instead drove the construction vehicle the entire 30 miles or so to Philadelphia.
"He drove up Route 202 to I-76 and drove I-76 down to Route 1," Foster said.
Foster didn't know the exact route Pusey took from Route 1, but said the backhoe ended up at a scrap yard in Philadelphia.
Pusey did not intend to sell the backhoe for scrap, however, according to the officer.
"He already had a buyer lined up for it," Foster said. "He had heard someone was looking for one."
Foster said police estimated the trip of 30 miles or so would have taken Pusey about 2 1/2 hours.
The backhoe belongs to Shainline Excavating of Phoenixville and is valued at $125,000, he said.
With the help of its owner, police found the backhoe Monday because it is equipped with GPS tracking, Foster said.
Philadelphia police arrested Pusey on Monday and he was committed to Lancaster County Prison on an outstanding theft warrant, Foster said. An arraignment will be scheduled on an additional theft charge related to the backhoe.
Pusey last year was charged with stealing catalytic converters from vehicles in East Hempfield Township, newspaper records show.
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