SANDPOINT — Walt Burt has lived on the same property for 84 years and had a long-standing practice of leaving his 1987 Ford Ranger pickup truck in his driveway overnight.

He wouldn’t leave the keys in the ignition, although he did keep them stashed out of sight in the cab. That habit came to an abrupt end when somebody took the vehicle out of his Ontario Street yard on Dec. 6.

“Times have changed, I guess,” said Burt.

The three-quarter ton pickup had a wide chrome bumper on the back and a nice snowplow on the front. A trusty come-along and some other tools were in the truck.

Although displeased that the rig was taken and he’s now shoveling his driveway by hand, the thief did not steal his sense of humor or an ounce of compassion if the person who took it was truly needy.

At church, he asked his congregation to say some prayers for the thief, while others suggested prayers for the missing truck.

“What are you going to do about it, laugh or cry?” said Burt, who appears to be doing more of the former instead of the latter.

Still, Burt would rather be reunited with the low-mileage vehicle he uses to help friends and family keep their driveways clear. He’s filed a stolen vehicle report with the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, but is still waiting to hear back from a deputy.

“I just try not to really dwell on it,” he said.