Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

City Hall, Maxine's broken into

Prescott's City Hall was broken into, with an undetermined amount of cash taken in the robbery.

According to reports from the Prescott Police Department, on Thursday, Dec. 4, Ben Jones, a city employee, contacted PPD Chief Sam Reeder concerning City Hall having been broken into.

When Reeder arrived, he noted both of the safes were open and the contents were on the floor. Walking through the building, he saw shattered glass in the mayor's office. A hold had been knocked in the corner of a double-pane window. It was determined the suspect(s) reached in and unlocked the window after first knocking the hole through both panes of glass.

According to reports, nothing was apparently bothered in the mayor's or city manager's office. However, several drawers on the counter and file cabinets had been opened in the front office. One of the items found on the floor was an index card with the safe's combination.

The safe contained five money boxes, including one wooden box with cash in it. According to the report, all the money except for a few dollars in change was taken.

Investigation into the incident is continuing. However, the report stated, it has been learned several other towns have had similar break-ins of city offices as well.

Damage to the window was estimated at $100.

The incident occurred sometime between 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 3, and 7 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 4.

Mama Max's Diner was broken into after it closed Thursday, Nov. 27  Thanksgiving Day.

According to reports, the break-in occurred between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Nov. 27-28.

When officers arrived, they talked to the owner, Maxine Sullivan, who said entry into her business was gained through a sliding glass window on the northwest side of the building.

Sullivan said the only items missing were the cash register and the money inside it.

According to reports, Sullivan told officers the back door of the business had been found open, though it had been closed and locked after the end of the business day, sometime around 11 p.m.

The window, the report states, was not broken in order for the suspect(s) to gain entry, but had apparently been pushed open.

Investigation into this break-in is continuing.