Radek Molenda, of Johnston, had his truck, plow and sander stolen on Jan. 3. He’s expected to be back on the road today with his new plow.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

Scott Hesford was one of the early victims of a crime wave.

The thief — or thieves — cut through a padlocked gate at Hesford’s business in Johnston and broke into his Ford F-350 truck, ripped out the truck’s ignition and started the vehicle without keys.

The damaged truck was driven across the yard where it was paired up with its plow.

The next morning, Hesford’s Ford was seen in the parking lot of Benny’s on North Main Street in Providence. His plow — worth about $5,000 — was gone.

Numerous other plow thefts — including 13 in Johnston and Pawtucket alone — have been reported to authorities since the early fall. In some cases, thieves have stolen equally expensive sanding equipment. More than $100,000 in snow removal equipment has been stolen in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts since September.

Plow larcenies have been a problem throughout New England in recent years, but investigators say an organized ring appears to be working in the Providence area this winter.

“There are some rings, some people working in Rhode Island, that are responsible for these thefts,” said Michael W. Carpenter, a special agent with the National Crime Insurance Bureau.

The discarded trucks, minus their expensive plows, are turning up in the same general vicinity of Providence, Pawtucket and Attleboro, according to Johnston police Maj. Ralph Bubar III.

Carpenter noticed a sharp rise in snowplow thefts in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island about three years ago, shortly after someone stole new plows from 40 trucks parked at a New Hampshire dealership.

This winter season, the plow thievery started quite early, back in the fall, Carpenter said. The pace of larceny incidents seems to be up slightly from 2007 and 2008, he said.

A combination of factors, including the souring economy, might explain the bump, Carpenter said.

The value of snowplows, ranging from $5,000 to $7,000, has increased, making the machinery more attractive for thieves.

And, with technical advances, it’s far easier to attach and detach snowplows.

Snowplowing, Carpenter said, might also represent an attractive business opportunity for people who have lost income due to the economy

The frequency of snowfall this season has put plows in high demand, allowing the equipment to be sold at top dollar, Bubar added.

Such financial rewards could explain the boldness of the thefts.

On Jan. 7, a thief stole a plow from Francesco A. Cassisi’s construction depot during the two hours he was home eating dinner. Cassisi said he had a different plow stolen last year.

“If they want it bad enough, they are going to do it,” he said.

Last year, a new plow was stolen from one of Miriam Hospital’s trucks less than two weeks after it had been purchased, Carpenter said. The plow was replaced and stolen again soon after, he said.

Seven plows, including several plow-truck units, have been stolen in Pawtucket since September, according to Pawtucket police.

One truck stolen from Pawtucket was recovered near the commuter rail station in neighboring Attleboro.

In mid-December, someone attempted to steal a plow unit parked outside Priceright Auto Sales on Route 1 in South Attleboro, the police said.

The suspect then broke into a dealership down the street, JDC Truck & Auto, grabbed the keys to another snowplow unit and drove away, the police said.

In North Attleboro, the police are investigating the theft of several plows and sanders from a construction company last month, said police Lt. David Daws.

In many cases, said Bubar, plow owners failed to have serial numbers engraved on the machinery or have forgotten the numbers, complicating the job of identifying stolen equipment.

None of the authorities interviewed by The Journal had made any arrests thus far for plow thefts.

mreynold@projo.com