Thief strikes county treasurer's office

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint Police are investigating an apparent burglary at the Bonner County Treasurer’s Office.

“The place appeared to have been ransacked,” said Chief Mark Lockwood.

Whoever was behind the theft made off with about $1,800 in cash, according to Treasurer Cheryl Piehl.

“It’s a shock,” she said.

The break-in occurred over the weekend and was discovered on Monday morning. The office is located on the third floor of the Bonner County Administration Building, formerly known as the Sandpoint Federal Building.

There were no obvious signs of forced entry into the building, although the lone door used to gain access to the treasurer’s office suite had been “tampered” with, said Piehl, who declined to elaborate for security reasons.

“We have added additional security just to be on the safe side,” Piehl said.

Seven taxpayers’ checks have come up missing, though four have already been notified. Piehl said the remaining three have to be notified by mail because they no longer have terrestrial phone lines associated with their property.

Piehl said the stolen money will be covered by the county’s insurer.

“Luckily, most people are paying with checks so we didn’t have that much cash (on hand),” Piehl said.

County commissioners said on Tuesday that no county records or office equipment appeared to have been taken during the burglary.

Commissioner Cornel Rasor said cash drawers were overturned and coins were strewn about the office when the crime was discovered.

The heist occurred as the Monday, Dec. 21, deadline approaches for landowners to pay the first half of their 2009 property taxes.

Lockwood said there have been several break-ins and attempted break-ins this month in Sandpoint, although it does not appear the office burglary is connected to the other incidents.

“Right now, we don’t have anything that indicates that they’re connected,” he said.