On Friday, May 11th Wrangell’s golf course Muskeg Meadows was vandalized and broken into, leaving it with more than $1,000 in damages and stolen merchandise. Golf Course Manager Grover Mathis. “When I opened the door I noticed pieces of the door were on the floor and then I noticed that the cash register was missing. At that point I knew we had been burglarized,” he says.
Mathis says along with the cash register, items stolen include snack foods, clothing, wine and beer from the pro shop. Damages to the golf course include broken flag sticks and damages to the golf ball holes in the ground.
Muskeg Meadows is not alone. Early last week Salvation Army was also burglarized, with a loss of more than $1,200 in damages and stolen goods. Golf Course Manager Grover Mathis says the golf course has had a slow season so far, and he says the recent thefts will have an impact on business.
“We have insurance, but you never get completely compensated from insurance companies. It will have an effect on us financially but we will recover. But just like anyone who has had their home burglarized you feel violated and realize you are not completely safe. We have taken measures to try to prevent this from happening again,” he says.
Police say along with the two recent business break-ins, there have been five car thefts over the past month. Wrangell Police Chief Doug McCloskey says currently police are investigating all of the thefts and whether they’re related. “There is a possibility that they may be related, but it’s also possible that they are not related,” he says. At this time no arrests have been made. McCloskey advises the community to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Muskeg Meadows is offering a $500 reward to anyone with information about the golf course burglary that leads to an arrest and conviction.
