Someone broke into George Little House, smashing a window to get in, cracking one in an effort to make an exit and stealing jewelry in what the house’s caretaker is calling an act of desperation.
The break-in and theft happened at about 2 a.m. June 28 and is “disappointing,” says Debbie Letawski.
“I think it was somebody that was desperate,” she said. “I think it was somebody desperate who got the cash register and tried to get out of the house.”
One of the old windows by the front door was completely broken out and an unbreakable window near the back was cracked, possibly by the culprit throwing the cash register against it, she said.
“You always worry when it’s one of our heritage buildings. You always want to preserve it. It’s hard on them, the artisans, to have their stuff stolen,” said Letawski.
Once the person realized the cash register had no money in it, the last act on the way out was likely to grab jewelry, added Letawski.
Letawski said the perpetrators were definitely not the homeless people who live nearby because she has a good rapport with them and they told her they’d put an ear to the ground to find out who the thief was.
“To me, I think it was somebody desperately needed cash. Unfortunately, I think people are suffering still, you know, our industry is not what it was,” she said.
Vandals in past have broken into the house and didn’t care wha they smashed, while this person only broke windows.
At least the person removed two historical pictures that were in the window sill before trying to smash the window to get out, leaving the pictures unharmed, she said.