SEQUIM — Police are investigating multiple burglaries in and near downtown Sequim.
Staff Sgt. Sean Madison of the Sequim Police Department said Kim Nails, 181 W. Washington St., was reportedly burglarized sometime before the morning of Nov. 17. About $5,000 in cash was taken along with a business checkbook after one or more burglars broke into a west side door through its window.
Some damage was reported to the door where it appeared someone tried to pry it open, he said.
Sgt. Mike Hill said two health care businesses on the 500 block of North Fifth Avenue reported burglaries on Nov. 18, but nothing was reported stolen.
“They have a similar M.O., and we’re still piecing them together,” Madison said.
“It’s not a great leap to assume those might be related.”
As of this week, they didn’t have any person or persons of interest in the burglaries.
“These kinds of smash-and-grab robberies don’t happen often,” Madison said. “These don’t just happen once, and it’s something we’re trying to examine.”
Madison said he knows it’s convenient to leave cash at businesses for the next morning’s opening, but he encourages owners not to do so.
“It’s common knowledge to break in small businesses because owners will typically leave money somewhere — sometimes in a bank bag under the counter for the next morning — especially restaurants,” he said. “Bad guys know that.”
For any information or tips about the burglaries, call 360-683-7227.
Hill also reported that vandals added more damage and graffiti to the concession stand by the Sequim School District athletic fields, and the Helen Haller Elementary School covered playground area.
He said someone vandalized the buildings sometime before Nov. 14 when it was reported the next day. With the amount and variety of the graffiti, police believe more than one person was involved, Hill said.
In September, Sequim police said a 12-year-old was facing a misdemeanor charge of malicious mischief for allegedly vandalizing portions of the school and concession stand.
Hill said they’ve increased patrols by the schools to limit opportunities for vandalism.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.