Avalon House break-in connected to nearby burglary

Nov. 28--Moscow police are investigating a break-in at the Avalon House on Wednesday morning on First and Washington streets they believe was connected to a nearby burglary.

Police Chief David Duke said police responded to an alarm at the Avalon House around 6:30 a.m. and found several windows and doors damaged. Duke estimated there was around $3,000 in damages.

He said it's likely connected to a burglary that happened earlier the same morning in an alleyway on the 100 block of North Main. Duke said an unknown person or persons stole some tools from a construction site there, including a crowbar and a pipe wrench.

Police suspect the perpetrator or perpetrators used those tools to break into the Avalon House and wreak havoc on the building.

Brian Loomis, who owns the Avalon House with his father, said it appears they tried to break into the building through a couple of the exterior doors using a crowbar. When they failed, they likely used the wrench to break into an office window, he said.

From there, they went throughout the building breaking more office windows and kicking in more doors.

"They went through nearly every room," he said.

The Avalon House rents out offices for several businesses including the investment firm D.A. Davidson and Co., Spirit Springs Day Spa and Misty's Hare Salon. Business still continued Wednesday, but as Loomis stood next to a three-foot hole in the salon's window, he called the situation "disappointing."

"We're too darn busy to have to take time out of our life to clean up the mess that someone else makes for no reason," he said.

However, he is thankful the situation took an odd but fortunate turn when the criminal or criminals left the scene without taking anything.

He just can't understand why.

"That's the million dollar question," he said. "No one can really figure out why in the world they would go through all the work and effort to just make a mess and just break a few things inside.

"But what they broke is easily replaced. It certainly could have been a lot worse."

Loomis said employees were in the process of buying a new dead bolt to secure one of the damaged doors. He said they were focused on securing the building for the night first before they begin ordering new windows. He said insurance should pay for most of the damages.

Police continue to investigate the break-in to find leads on possible suspects. Loomis said police found blood samples, likely from when a perpetrator cut him or herself on broken glass. They also found fingerprints on one of the windows.

Luckily for Loomis, it seems windows and doors were the only things they touched. Not all of the rooms were entered, he said, and all the computers, files, products and cash were all there when police showed up Wednesday morning.

"They were either the world's dumbest criminal, or they weren't looking for that," he said. "Their motives were something else."

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at (208) 883-4630, or by email to akuipers@dnews.com.

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