Gravedigger who helps families on their toughest days spots thief stealing his livelihood

ARLINGTON, Wash. - A gravedigger is turning to the public for help. Surveillance shows a thief making off with a backhoe but not before the victim raced to try to stop him from getting away with his livelihood.

FOX 13 News is learning why the gravedigger believes the suspect had been scoping out his business before this all went down.

Dale Kortlever, has been helping families on their toughest days for 19 years now, laying their loved ones to rest.

A passion nearly cut short by this brazen man.

Video surveillance shows a white lifted Ford pickup pulling into Automatic Wilbert Vault Co on the 6800 block of 199 Street around 10 p.m. September 9.

Kortlever was home when he said the business alarms went off.

He quickly opened them to see a man getting out of his truck, moving a dumpster out of his way – without realizing he was being recorded, before finally trying to make off with a backhoe.

Kortlever called 911, but the adrenaline had set in.

"I better get up there because I need that back. That's my living without it and I can't do my job,"

The thief was caught off guard by Kortlever who sped up the driveway trying to block him in.

"He was coming around the corner with the trailer hooked up to his truck, he took out concrete boxes, he came through and I think this is where he blew the tire out on the trailer, and he sideswiped my truck," Kortlever said.

The thief got away.

Arlington Police showed up a few minutes later but just two blocks down, they found a busted chain link fence and Kortlever backhoe abandoned on its side in a ditch.

"You might be hurting for money and there's a lot of people that are, but you don’t have to steal," Kortlever said.

The gravedigger says the thief caused at least $30,000 in damages and fears he’s done this before.

"He's been planning this because about a week before we can't seem to work in the key was missing on the backhoe," Kortlever said.

While cameras didn’t catch the act, he says the same truck – a white pickup with black rims and sideboards was in their parking lot.

He’s hoping you recognize the man who hurt the local business and damaged the last link he had to his wife.

"It was the last truck we got to buy together, she passed," Kortlever said. "But it’s fixable at least nobody got killed."

He’s now looking on the bright side, urging businesses and homeowners to lock up their belongings, as he waits for justice.

"Treat people the way you want to be treated, it’d be a better world," Kortlever said.

If you do recognize the truck or the person in the video you’re urged to call Arlington Police.