The Northampton County Sheriff's Office has a person of interest in the theft of a heavy-duty tow truck stolen from Redwine's Garage Sunday morning.

Video surveillance shows a man wearing a mechanics uniform in the Village Grocery on Highway 46 several minutes before the theft occurred. Outside footage from the store shows him exiting a white pickup, one video footage from Redwine's caught following the 2000 Peterbilt Model 379 wrecker after it was stolen sometime between 1:30 and 1:45 Sunday morning.

The white truck.

Captain Chuck Hasty said he believes the theft of the truck, worth approximately a quarter of a million dollars, was possibly done by a professional to chop down and sell off parts. “Something that big would be hard to sell.”

The truck was marked with the Redwine's logo.

The theft occurred after the lock to a fenced-in area of the garage was cut. Whoever stole the vehicle had to be knowledgeable of its operation, Hasty said.

“You have to know how to start it and drive it,” Detective Courtney Williams said, explaining the ignition system is different and it uses air brakes.

“It's got to be someone familiar with driving commercial vehicles,” Hasty said.

Williams said the white pickup possibly has North Carolina commercial licenses tags.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the sheriff's office at 252-534-2611.