Sheriff investigation three break-ins

Dateline: September 1, 2005

Sheriff investigating three break-ins

By Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

Three Clarendon businesses were burgled last week, and the Donley County Sheriff’s Department is continuing its investigation.

Sheriff Butch Blackburn said his office was called at 6 a.m. last Wednesday, August 24, after Frank Hommel discovered his “Sam Hill” Pit BBQ restaurant had been robbed.

Blackburn said the suspects gained entry through the rear door and got away with a small amount of cash. Considerable damage was done to the restaurant’s cash register, which contained no money.

Investigators checked the neighboring Asian Café to find that someone had also gained entry through that establishment’s backdoor, but the owners could find nothing missing.

And at about 8 a.m., Blackburn said it was discovered that the burglaries had also hit the nearby Country Bloomers Flowers & Gifts and gotten away with a considerable amount of cash.

Blackburn said he believes the suspects will turn out to be locals, and he asks anyone with knowledge of these crimes to call his office at 874-3533.