A group of thieves raided a firetruck for close to $10,000 worth of equipment Monday while it sat outside a grocery store in Washington state.

The firetruck, which serves Pierce County communities, lost multiple life-saving tools, according to a report.

“It’s aggravating and frustrating,” Lt. Dylan Tapia of Pierce County Fire District 13 said.

“This was the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this. I’d heard stories about it happening up in Seattle.”

The incident occurred outside a QFC store, and the firefighters became aware when someone told them that at least one individual was rummaging through their truck.

Before the firefighters could stop them, the thieves made their getaway in a white pickup loaded with a U-Haul trailer, according to the report.

They made off with saws and a variety of tools, the firefighters said.

“They ruined our ability to do a lot of stuff we are here to do,” according to Tapia.

District 13 relies mostly on volunteers, and the cost of the new gear will likely be a major burden for the firefighters.

“We aren’t able to get a lot of this equipment off the shelves, and we can’t just go to Lowe’s. A lot of it has to be specially ordered. Some of it has a waitlist that could put us months and thousands of dollars behind,” firefighter Alandra Swords said. “We absolutely have to keep our guard up.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Stealing from firetrucks has increased in Washington state, and several crews have been forced to leave one member behind during calls to protect the trucks from thieves.

“We don’t have that luxury of leaving somebody on an apparatus to wait behind and make sure somebody doesn’t come pick and pull at our apparatus,” Tapia said.