Crime & Safety

Crawford Park Theft Angers Baseball League Parents

Someone stole candy, sunflower seeds, hot dog buns and cases of Gatorade from the Caledonia Baseball/Softball league.

It might not seem like much, but when you're already operating on a shoestring budget, the theft of almost $100 in concession snacks makes an impact.

Rosie Ollie, president of Caledonia baseball/softball, posted on the Patch boards that someone broke into the concession stand at Crawford Park and took a variety of snacks.

"I would like to find the person that did this, they have violated myself as the president and the more so the 450 families and kids," she wrote.

Cheryl Ketzer, treasurer for the group, said the break-in took place sometime between 9 p.m. July 30 and late afternoon July 31, based on when the lights are turned off at night and when the cheese machine gets turned on each day.

"There were a lot of boxes strewn around and some things were still stacked on the freezer like they were going to be carried out so we knew someone had come in," she said.

The door to the stand was not broken, like it had been kicked open, but there was noticeable paint chipping near the lock as if the door had been pried or jimmied open.

Without obvious signs of a break-in, there's not much police can do, Caledonia police Lt. Daniel Warren said.

"Unfortunately, there's not much we can do," he said.

The amount taken comes to just about $100 cash that could have translated into double that through concession sales, that Ketzer said is how the league pays its operating expenses. New locks will be figured into the 2014 budget, she added.

Ketzer said after they got over the shock of the theft, the anger set in.

"We're really mad that someone would steal from kids," she said. "Hopefully someone knows something and will step forward."


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