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Heavy Duty Heist Leaves Lincoln Family Stuck In Rut

LINCOLN (CBS13) – The search is on for a massive piece of heavy machinery a family says someone stole – driving it right out of their yard.

This is a massive tractor that's easy to spot. Michael Cuneo was using it to build his dream home. And now that it's gone, he's not sure what to do next.

"It was over there by the brush pile with the big tree is kind of down over there," Cuneo said.

Cuneo is talking about his Komatsu tractor, stolen right out of his yard in Lincoln.

"So these are the tracks actually leading off of the property," Cuneo said.

On Friday, Cuneo got a call from a man about seven miles away that there was a front-loader crash.

"This loader crashed into his fence and took out a guidewire to a PG&E electricity pole," Cuneo said.

The California Highway Patrol even showed up. But by the time Cuneo found out, the tractor was long gone.

"Nobody knew at that point that it didn't belong to the people who were operating it," Cuneo said.

So he turned to Facebook for help.

"People saying 'Hey, I live in the area, what does it look like, what's the number on the side?'" Cuneo said.

He's been using the tractor for the last three months - taking loads of trash out of the home.

"I've had it out here since November," Cuneo said.

Cuneo and his wife Ali bought the property as is and say finding a contractor has been time consuming.

No tractor means even more of a wait.

"It's just been on hold for a while now. This process keeps getting longer and longer," Ali said.

And this young couple, who are welcoming a new baby into the world soon, is running out to the get construction back underway.

"I would tell them that I forgive them and to return it, please," Cuneo said.

Cuneo has been serving the Marine Reserve for five years. He's only been back for six months, eager to welcome his new child into his new home.

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