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Show Burglary rash appears professional After a week of commercial com-mercial burglaries in Cedar City, the police department is urging local businesses to take precautions in an effort to stem the current crime trend. Within the past week police have taken reports of break-ins at Milne Truck Line, Lunt Dental Offices, Cedar Drug, the Valley Car Corral, the Hyland Drive, and Bradshaw Chevrolet. According to police, all the burglaries appear to show signs of being committed by persons more daring and sophisticated than the young "smash and grab" type burglars that have been in Iron County in the recent past. This week's burglaries included such techniques as getting past deadbolt locks, drilling safes and returning to the same business a few nights later. Dr. Paul Lunt reported that in the weekend burglary of his dental office the thieves removed the cylinder of the deadbolt lock on the outside door and took $2,500 in precious metals such as gold and platinum. At the Milne depot, burglars stole a large number of items from the dock area as well as from parked trailers inside the building. The total value of the merchandise is still being determined but is expected to be very substantial. Several nights later another entry into the depot was attempted at-tempted with no success. A near-victim to a serious burglary over the weekend was Cedar Drug at 137 North Main Street. There burglars removed the lock facing but were either scared away or were unable to complete the break-in. No loss occurred. In both the Bradshaw Chevrolet and the Hyland Drive-In incidents, the safes inside the businesses were drilled by the burglars. Approximately Ap-proximately $100 was taken from the Bradshaw safe, but the Hyland Drive-In safe was not entered. Police are concerned with this sudden trend in commercial burglaries and are urging businesses to inspect their buildings for weak spots that might encourage en-courage burglars. Merchants should keep the exteriors of their buildings well lit, as well as locked with modern deadbolt systems. Money should be removed from the premises daily and other valuable merchandise kept only in the most secure places. Employees need to be encouraged to ;ep rt to managers sjspicious persons enteiing the business during the day or seen near the building after hours. Anyone wishing advice or help with any specific crime prevention problems can call the Cedar City Police Department at 586-6531. According to Police Chief Douglas Boulton, police patrols are being increased in business districts in town during the night-time hours, but for any police efforts to be effective in preventing burglaries, the chief continues, the businesses must do everything possible to make themselves safe from illegal entries. |