Thefts at local businesses are continuing into the new year as Palmer Grain and Jack’s Food Market in Linn have become the latest victims. In the past couple months there have also been thefts from Crome Lumber in Wash ington, Palmer Lumber and the Washington County Transfer Station/dump, among others. Sheriff Justin Cordry said there are open investigations into the thefts, which limits the information he can share, but he said it is possible that these incidents are connected.
Cordry said power tools have been a common item stolen during many of the local break-ins. Handguns and rifles were stolen at Jack’s Food Market.
“They know the types of places they are breaking into,” Cordry said of the thieves. “Not a ton of places in this county have what they are looking for.”
He said after seeing similar items stolen in the earlier break-ins, his department warned businesses with similar items. He said that warning has proven to minimize the amount of things that have been stolen in more recent break-ins.
He encouraged the public to watch for people who are selling power tools.
He said Marshall, Clay and Pottawatomie Counties are having similar breakins and thefts right now.
Cordry said there is not a lot of information to go off of in some of these recent break-ins and thefts. He said people can report information anonymously to the sheriff’s office.