CLEARLAKE — Clearlake Police Department (CPD) is seeking information related to the burglary of Tatonka Trading retail store in Clearlake. The business was burglarized sometime between about 1:30 a.m. 4 a.m. last Thursday.
According to store owner Bunnie Carter, the suspect(s) gained entry by breaking a window. She said the power and the phone lines were severed leaving the alarm system inoperable. “Somebody had to have seen something,” she said. “We usually have the parking lot and the building all lit up and they cut the power.”
Carter said various items of merchandise were stolen in the incident including a pair of Nike Air Force One tennis shoes, Coogie pants and shirts, pairs of plaid-colored pants, numerous hand-blown glass pipes, hookas and knives. She said several pro baseball caps were also stolen as well as an undisclosed amount of cash.
Carter said she thinks something may have startled the suspects as several items that appeared to be set aside and packaged for transport were left behind.
“I”m totally devastated. I”ve never had this happen before. It makes me mad that they just sat there and went through everything,” Carter said. “It gives me real concern for opening up the miniature golf course. We put a lot of time, money and heart into reconstructing it. I don”t understand why people would want to destroy something that makes our community better.”
Carter said the gate at the back of the golf course was broken through in the incident. She said she hadn”t closely inspected the course for fear of what she might find. Officers, however, did inspect the course as well as the building. Evidence was collected at the scene and the case remains under the investigation of Officer T. Paulsen. Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact the CPD at 994-8251.
