Madison Co. deputies recover $900,000 piece of equipment

WEST MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. – This piece of equipment is called the LoKotrack LT120, known as a “Rock Crusher.” It is worth over $900,000. According to the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, this one was stolen.

“We got notified, our deputies started looking, and [one of our deputies] actually spotted the piece of equipment on Airways [Boulevard],” Madison County Sheriff John Mehr said.

Sheriff Mehr says a buyer in Utah needed the Rock Crusher delivered from South Carolina. The man who picked it up was Edward Charles Ruff II, who owns Hi-Tec Heavy Haul, based in Dyersburg.

But the equipment never made it to the buyer.

“They actually went and took possession of the machine, but never delivered it to Utah,” Mehr said.

Ruff has been charged with theft over $250,000. According to the sheriff, he has bonded out.

We attempted to reach Ruff at the number listed for Hi-Tec Heavy Haul in Dyersburg. When we called the number, an automated voice said that the number had been disconnected or was no longer in service.

The Rock Crusher is still in Jackson until another delivery company can be found.

Sheriff Mehr says that it was an unusual case for the department.

“This is a big piece of equipment and it’s a very expensive piece of equipment, so it’s not one of these that you can just move around very easily,” Mehr said.