Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Police investigate storage-unit heist

Sheriff says more than $10K in merchandise stolen

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

    The Blaine County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft in February of about $10,500 worth of items from a locked storage unit north of Hailey.
    Sheriff Gene Ramsey said the theft was reported by the owners of the items on Friday but that the theft likely occurred earlier in the month.
    “They were getting ready to close it out because they were moving things out of it,” Ramsey said.
    Stolen were various antiques and Indian artifacts, jewelry and other items.
    “What was unusual was there was no sign of forced entry, but there is a 10-and-a-half-inch space in the walls between units so it appears someone crawled from unit to unit,” the sheriff said. “The padlock was intact; it wasn’t cut, which is normally what we see.”
    Ramsey declined to identify the storage-unit facility, explaining that the facility had some security issues that need to be addressed.
    He said most storage facilities in the Wood River Valley have outside surveillance systems that help deter theft.
    Ramsey said theft from storage units is becoming an ever more popular crime.
    “This is getting to be a big thing around the state, talking to other sheriffs,” Ramsey said. “Throughout the state, that’s one of the rising crimes.”

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