'Tis the season for making lists and checking them twice and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to do just that. Public Information Officer Brenda Bassett is advising everyone to have a list of serial numbers of their personal possessions.

"We are seeing more drug use coming into Missoula County and with that comes a lot more property crimes and the theft of property," Bassett said. "One thing we are trying to get out to the public is that if you want your property back, it is a lot more easier for detectives if you write down your serial numbers: and that's on everything from your weed whacker, to your lawn mower, to your TV, to your guns."

Bassett says deputies have recovered tons of stolen items, but finding out who the belong to is very difficult.

"We found some stolen property in a storage unit and a lot of the property was returned, thankfully," said Bassett. "There were some dry-walling tools from Italy and the owner was so excited they had been found thathe drove all the way from Bozeman to come get them. But sometimes the stuff ends up in storage, or it's auctioned off, or it just ends up sitting around."

The Sheriff’s Office is still trying to find the rightful owners of a pile of bicycle parts that were taken after they broke up a Missoula Bicycle theft ring over the Summer.

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