AUBURN – The Good Shepherd Food Bank, one of Maine’s largest charities, appealed Wednesday for the return of its new snowplow, which was stolen from its lot as Thanksgiving approached and much of the state was getting its first snow of the season.

Thieves on Tuesday night took the Meyers plow that was being stored on pallets at the charity’s warehouse in Auburn. Also stolen were pumps and attachments from the food bank’s dump truck.

The food bank’s JoAn Chartier said the 10-foot plow was just purchased last January, and would have paid for itself within a winter’s season.

Good Shepherd officials say it would have taken several strong men or someone with a boom truck to lift the plow.