3 Randolph Businesses
Burglarized Monday
By Sandy Cooch

Randolph police are investigating three downtown business burglaries, all likely occurring sometime between 3 a.m. and business opening hours on Monday, Sept. 25.

Some cash and a small selection of items were taken from Fullam’s Garage, Fisher Auto Parts, and the Three Bean Café. The three businesses are all within perhaps 500 feet of one another, in the Pleasant Street area.

Suffering the most serious loss was Fullam’s, which had cash and two diagnostic pieces of equipment, each valued at about $300, stolen.

There, the thief or thieves gained access by removing a storm window, breaking the window behind, and crawling inside. The window was on the south side of the building, the side facing the railroad tracks.

Besides the broken window, the break-ins were mostly tidy affairs.

Entrance was gained into Fisher's by prying open the back door. After taking a $160, heavy-duty drive socket set, the burglar locked the door on his or her way out. Patrol officer Michael Welch had noted the slightly pried-back door plate during an early morning patrol, but finding the door locked, did not contact the store manager, Chief Jim Krakowiecki said. Nor did Fisher Auto employees realized that the store had been burgled, until about 9:20 a.m., when they noticed the socket set was missing.

There was no sign of forced entry into the Three Bean, which had about $80 cash and a stereo system valued at $200 stolen.

Chief K said Tuesday that police recovered some physical evidence at one of the businesses and are working on a few leads.

He commented that the interesting combination of items stolen would prove useful for "either a heavy-duty mechanic or for re-sale."

RPD patrol officers regularly check on local businesses to make sure they are secure. On Sunday, Sept. 24, the day before these break-ins occurred, RPD found unlocked doors at two businesses. (See the RPD log, elsewhere in this week’s Herald.)

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