PHOTO UPDATED 4:42 p.m./STORY UPDATED 6:35 A.M. 11/6/25

Petersburg, IL (WAND) – Police are trying to find out who used an excavator to knock down part of a house in Petersburg Tuesday night. 

The Petersburg Police Department took to Facebook to say someone gained access to an excavator between 5:05 and 5:25 p.m. that was parked at 208 Sheridan. 

“The gentleman that lives in that house, normally, he hangs out in his living room, which is the part that has been demolished. Thankfully he was not home,” said Petersburg Assistant Chief of Police Royce Shamhart.  

A house near the address along Sheridan was torn down after a house fire awhile back. Construction workers left the excavator locked, but the culprit had their own set of keys. Police learned many Caterpillar brand excavators have universal keys. The suspect was able to unlock the machinery and tear down the house, then left the scene.  

“I’ve been doing this for about 27 years now, and this is a first. I’ve never seen just a piece of heavy equipment just knock down somebody’s house,” Shamhart said.  

The house is estimated at $30,000 dollars, but is now a pile of lumber. The property owner was selling the house. Police say neither the owner nor the buyer could think of anyone with motive to tear the house apart.  

“We’ve had a few names float around. We don’t have anything concrete yet to be able to point a finger at somebody,” Shamhart said. 

Police urge anyone with information or security footage from Tuesday evening around 5 p.m. to call the department 217-632-7137.