AUBURN, Mass. (WHDH) — Surveillance cameras were rolling when police say Daniel Scott drove a backhoe down the street drunk in Auburn.
Investigators say he had stolen the backhoe earlier that night from KEI enterprises in Worcester and drove it all the way to Auburn.
“I’m laughing only because I’ve been in business for almost 47 years and this is a first,” said Mike Keating, owner of stolen backhoe.
Police say he was using the backhoe to steal a snow plow from an Auburn business.
“What he did is detach it from the truck drove in scooped under it…” officials said.
However, a police officer driving by to another call in the area saw the backhoe in a parking lot and noticed something wasn’t right.
Police came back moments later and found the backhoe with the plow barreling down the road and began to chase it.
“We don't run into a lot of backhoes that aren't stopping, that aren't performing some construction duties, poor choice of getaway vehicle,” said Sgt. Scott Mills, Auburn Police Dept.
Police were able to pull over Scott and arrested him for drunk driving.
Scott has a history of six previous arrests for driving under the influence.
“It’s a bit scary that he still had a license. I'm glad from what I understand they’ve taken action and suspended his license for life and I think that’s a great call. You shouldn’t have a license,” said Sgt. Mills.
“We were surprised that we had to pay the towing charges and the impound charges but it’s a very expensive piece of machinery. Don't know how to lock it up better than we did but we're gonna find a way,” Keating said.
The driver now has his license suspended for life.