Feed store burglar steals only raffle money
ROSE LAKE – Several items of value were passed over in favor of raffle money and tickets last week when a burglar broke into a local animal feed store.
Brenda Peterson, owner and operator of Plan B Feed Store, tells the News-Press that on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 9:47 p.m., camera footage from the neighboring Rose Lake General Store recorded an individual breaking into her establishment.
The burglar first went around to the rear of the feed store and attempted to enter through a window by removing a screen. Once they realized the window wasn’t an option, they replaced the screen and ended up kicking in the locked back door.
Since the back door leads to a feed/storage room, the burglar then had to get through another locked door that led to the main showroom.
Peterson isn’t totally sure how the burglar made it through the second door, but suspects that they picked the lock.
Once inside, the burglar headed right for the front desk and snagged a jar of tickets and money that Peterson had out for a raffle.
The raffle had been going on since October of 2019 and the money raised was meant to go towards efforts to spay a neuter dogs. Peterson estimates that there was over $200 in raffle money that was taken.
Without grabbing anything else, the burglar then took off the way they came. The whole incident lasted roughly 6 minutes from arrival to departure.
“The only thing that was taken was three-quarters of the tickets and all the raffle money for my drawing,” Peterson explained. “There was a $500 deposit sitting out here that I forgot on my cash register. To get the jar that had the tickets and the money in it, he was only like two inches from the money bag that had all the money from the cash register in it.”
Peterson added that there were other valuables in the store as well, such as a laptop, a generator, and other merchandise that were close to the front desk.
“Isn’t it just the craziest story? You know you know the person when they do shit like that.”
Based on camera footage, the burglar appears to be a young male, about 5’5” or 5’6”. At the time, he was wearing black ski pants and a grey hoodie.
Peterson would like to sincerely apologize to all of her customers who purchased raffle tickets and still plans to do a drawing on Feb. 14 with the tickets that weren’t stolen and any others that may come in.
“He stole from the community and he needs to be caught,” she added.
The prize for the raffle is a variety of items from the store that includes a bag of dog food and treats.
If you have any information regarding this crime, contact the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 446-1300 or your local law enforcement agency.