Thieves wrestle away safe

PENTICTON – RCMP are on the lookout for one or more brazen and beefy thieves after a safe was stolen from a Penticton jewellery store.

Police were called at 8:22 a.m. on Jan. 9 and arrived to find the lock on a door leading to a common hallway at 311 Main St. damaged and insecure. The door provided access to the stairs leading to three, second-floor businesses, including Oslund Jewellers.

The jewellery store’s door lock had also been broken and a large safe taken. Inside were contents valued at $10,000.

“We have been 50 years in business this year. This is the second time we’ve been broken into,” owner Ralph Oslund says. Two years ago the business was broken into but the thieves weren’t able to remove the safe.

The thief, or thieves, had their work cut out for them. According to police, the safe was bolted to the floor and the suspects had to carry it down a flight of stairs.

Police are interested in speaking with anyone who may have seen something or who might know of anything that might help them in their investigation. They are asked to call the Penticton detachment at 250-492-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.