Rash of burglaries occurs as police tied up with shooting
Police believe incidents may have been coordinated by same individuals
By BENJAMIN C. SHARP bensharp@journal-spectator.com

Staff Photo by Benjamin Sharp Girling's Melanie Stolte holds up the cookie jar which has become a makeshift home for goldfish "Thelma" and "Louise" after burglars dumped a container of fish food into their tank during a weekend break-in.

Police believe it may be more than coincidence that a string of break-ins at Wharton businesses occurred the same night as a West End shooting.

As officers raced early Sunday morning to West Pecan Street in response to shots being fired (see related story), burglars began breaking into businesses on the opposite side of town.

Wharton Police Department Detective Ben Evans said it's possible the two incidents were a concerted effort on the part of the same group of individuals.

"It's hard to know if they (the burglars) had a scanner and knew they (officers) were tied up with the shooting," Evans said. "That's a possibility."

The break-ins occurred sometime late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

Around eight businesses on the north and east sides of town were hit. The businesses were located in Eastgate Plaza Shopping Center on Boling Highway, the Caney Creek Office Park on Richmond Road and in two areas along Alabama Road, just south of H-E-B. Businesses included Girling Health Care, 1614 N. Alabama Road; Scott Pinkston Dental Clinic, 1506 N. Alabama Road; Payless Shoesource, Daniel's Cakeworld and Fancy Nails, all in Eastgate Plaza Shopping Center; Prudentia, OCCI, and Ken Barnett Real Estate, all located in the Caney Valley Office Park, 3027 N. Richmond Road.

In most of the cases, the burglars gained entrance by breaking out glass doors, police said.

Once inside, they focused primarily on electronic equipment like computers, monitors and digital projectors.

"They stole things they could use or get rid of easily," Evans said.

They also ransacked some of the locations.

At Girling Health Care, in addition to stealing computer equipment and breaking open the front door, the culprits sampled food and dumped a container of fish food into a goldfish tank - apparently in an effort to kill the fish.

Employee Melanie Stolte discovered the tank and quickly relocated the fish - affectionately named "Thelma" and "Louise" - to a glass cookie jar.

"She's the hero," said employee Tami George, smiling.

Girling's staff put up "CSI" crime scene tape around the fish tank and placed a sticky note that read: "the fish are talking," referring to the fish being "witnesses" of the crime.

"We're trying to find the humor in it," Stolte said.

She stressed that it's important to try and find the bright side of the situation, which has been a harrowing experience for the entire office.

"We were very upset," she said.

Police are asking for the public's help in solving the break-ins. Anyone with information can contact Evans or another detective at 532-3131.

"All three of us are working it," Evans said, referring to the police department's investigative division.