The San Juan County Sheriff’s Department has released a photo of one of the suspects in the Sept. 7 burglary of Island Market in Eastsound.
Undersheriff Jon Zerby said anyone with information about this suspect should call the Sheriff’s Department at 378-4151. Zerby said an enhanced photograph will be distributed as soon as it is available.
Colleen Smith Armstrong reports on IslandsSounder.com that several business and ATM machines have been burglarized on Orcas Island since Sept. 1. “We feel the recent break-ins are all connected,” Sheriff Bill Cumming said. “Each and every incident stands by itself, and we have to connect them all. But there are similarities that suggest these may be the work of the same person or persons.”
A break-in at The Sunflower Cafe was discovered early morning Sept. 1. The burglars gained entry through the back door of the restaurant and took cash from the register and ATM. The estimated loss was $3,500.
A second break-in was discovered at Vern’s Bayside Restaurant and Lounge. Entry was gained through the side door and security cameras were disabled. The reported loss was $300.
On Sept. 5, Ace Hardware and Islanders Bank were both burglarized during the night. An attempt to steal cash from the bank’s ATM was unsuccessful.
“At Islanders’ Bank, we spent about half a day the processing scene,” Cumming said. “We brought in a very experienced crime scene investigator. We have some possible leads.”
Two days later, on Sept. 7, Island Market was the target. The thief or thieves pried open a door, and went after the ATM for an hour, with little success.
Market manager Jason Linnes said $25,000 worth of damage was done to the store. A pallet driver was used to bash in the ATM, and six interior doors were damaged in what appeared to be an attempt to locate security cameras.
Cumming advises local businesses to evaluate their security measures. On-site security locks, an alarm system, and surveillance cameras (tucked away from sight) are all good ideas, Cumming said. The Sheriff’s Department offers free assessments of businesses’ security systems.
“It’s an issue of community safety when we have someone making the commercial community feel vulnerable,” Cumming said. “We want to work with all the merchants. We will do an audit to help, and we also understand that our suggestions may cost money, but it may be money very well spent in terms of getting this stopped. And thwarting anyone in the future who wants to do this.”
