Local Police Calling Burglary "Unbelievable"

ANGOLA, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - It's a burglary local police are calling unbelievable.

Police say around 11 p.m. Friday; robbers cut a hole in the back siding of the Sears store in Angola on North Wayne Street.

They say one person entered and may have unlocked the door for accomplices. Once inside, the bandits took power tools, garage door openers, and at least 28-flat screen TVs.

Sears Manager Melissa Metroff says the thieves knew what they were doing because they spent more than an hour un-hooking the display TV wires, not cutting them, and took the remotes, manuals and prices so they would know how much the sets were worth.

The suspects then loaded a large rental truck with the items and left.

“It was amazing that someone could take that much stuff at one time,” Angola Police Chief Stu Hamblen said.

Metroff says the worst part about this situation; they didn't have a security system.

“With money tight, it hasn't been able to be on the forefront,” Metroff said. “Mainly getting people through the holiday, getting bills paid, payroll, stuff like that. That's been the most forefront in the mind.”

Hamblen says in his 19 years with the force this incident stands apart from all the others.

“We've had something similar to this situation happen before, but not at this magnitude,” Hamblen said. “Usually someone breaks in and usually they're looking for cash. Or they maybe take one item something that they can usually carry out. Yeah, this is unbelievable.”

Metroff says her family has owned this store for 6 years and in the past has never thought about getting a security system.

“We just never really felt uncomfortable in that respect,” Metroff said. “Never really thought about it too much.”

She says they've lost at least $50,000 worth of inventory but decided to open their doors on Saturday to continue business for the holidays. She says re-stocking the shelves for Thanksgiving weekend is concerning and she is hoping the community will rally around their family-owned store.

Metroff says she will be getting a security system very soon.

Police need your help finding the suspects. Call the Angola Police Department at 260-665-2121 if you have any information in this case.

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