[ad_1]
COBB COUNTY, Ga. — When Chris Gregory saw the open gates of his business, he knew something was wrong.
The owner of CMG Landscaping won’t leave the gates of his facility open, especially after thousands of dollars worth of lawn care equipment was stolen in November.
“That’s when I realized the red truck and white truck were gone,” Gregory said.
2021 came to a difficult end for Chris. In November, Channel 2 reported on a group of criminals who stole more than $10,000 worth of lawn care equipment.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“I never thought it would happen again. I just thought it was a fluke,” Gregory said. “People who don’t want to get things the right way. They want to take things away. You know how that goes.”
Life hasn’t been easy for Chris Gregory. He joined a gang at age 12, he said, and by the time he was 14, he was in a juvenile detention center.
“I’ve been to prison three times, and twice for overdoses. I’ve been shot three times and stabbed five times while I was sleeping,” Gregory said.
Gregory said he fell into a cycle of gangs, drugs and crime when he was growing up in north St. Louis.
“Ninety percent of the men I grew up with are dead or locked up,” Gregory said.
After surviving the wake shooting, Gregory moved to Atlanta and says he has turned his life around. Seven years ago, he started his own landscaping company. A few years later, he began using his business to offer second chances to people like Nagel Clemons.
“Change isn’t easy, it’s difficult, especially when you get used to doing certain things for a long time,” Clemons said. “I was sitting in jail. I said it was time to go. And I called Chris and told him I was ready. I asked him to come and get me. And I’ve been here ever since.”
But the theft of the CMG truck feels personal to Chris Gregory. He says he has to lay off some seasonal employees each year because business slows down during the winter. In December of this year, he had to lay off several more employees due to his first theft incident. Gus McKinney was also among those laid off.
A few days later, Gregory said surveillance video captured McKinney breaking into his office and cutting off the power.
“Yes, it was as clear as day in the photo,” he said. “I’m very disappointed and disappointed. It makes me want to throw up my hands and quit.”
Gregory says he will work to get the business back on track. Before the recent theft incident, he had his five teams operating in the city. Currently, Gregory says he only has enough equipment to run one team at a time.
Trending stories:
He says the recent thefts won’t change his business plans.
“I will not allow one man’s actions to dictate my actions,” Gregory said.
However, Gregory attempts to replace the stolen equipment. If you would like to help, we have started a gofundme where you can donate here.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
In other news:
This browser does not support the video element.
[ad_2]
Source link
