New York City Sued for Lost Dirt Digger

A contractor is suing New York City for allegedly moving – and later losing – his $130,000 dirt digger.

Jeff Clemente says in his lawsuit that the John Deere hydraulic excavator was “lawfully” parked when it went missing last October.

It was being used by his company, Clemente Brothers Contracting Corp., on a city contract project in Queens.

The New York Post says the suit claims the Department of Sanitation moved the machinery for an unknown reason.

Clemente says he got the run-around when he called to inquire what happened to it.

He says he doesn’t know if it was lost, damaged or destroyed.

He is suing for the value of the 40,000-pound dirt digger.

The city Law Department says it’s reviewing the lawsuit.