VENDORS SUFFER MAJOR LOSES

Jewelry and other items were stolen and booths vandalized at the Spring Arts & Crafts Show at the San Moritz Lodge in Crestline. (Contributed Photo)

By Michael P. Neufeld

Crestline, CA – “When I walked in the door of the San Moritz Lodge it looked like a disaster area,” one vendor at the Spring Arts & Crafts Show told ROTWNEWS. “The door to the building was standing wide open and I can’t even begin to explain the scene I saw.”

“It looked like a disaster area,” one vendor reported when she arrived at the San Moritz Lodge. (Contributed Photo)

Lake Gregory Regional Park was hosting the May 4-5 Arts & Crafts Show, featuring everything from jewelry, stained glass, ceramics to wood art and more. The attendance at the Saturday show was pretty steady until the 5 p.m. closing. The San Moritz Lodge was secured and vendors looked forward to possibly an even better day on Sunday.

But overnight, one or more persons vandalized the building and trashed vendor booths, stole various items (mostly jewelry) and destroyed items in the various displays.

“In addition,” Captain Rick Ells from the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station told ROTWNEWS, “the subjects set off fire extinguishers throughout the lodge causing significant damage and requiring a major clean-up of the entire complex.”

THE INCIDENT

Pottery and other items were destroyed during a break-in at the Spring Arts & Crafts Show. (Contributed Photo)

The Sunday show, which had to be cancelled, was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. But as vendors started to arrive they discovered the destruction and/0r theft of their merchandise.

Twin Peaks deputies arrived shortly after 9 a.m. and took reports from the vendors, who were in the process of checking what, if anything, was left of their homemade craft items.

“Staff members believe the subjects were hiding within the building when it was locked up,” Captain Ells stated. “Deputies report no entry point could be determined. However, the point of exit was the north door of the location.”

Authorities believe the theft and vandalism occurred sometime between 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday, when vendors began arriving for the show.

THE IMPACT

Several events at the San Moritz Lodge, including two senior lunches this week, had to be cancelled while crews scrambled to clean the lodge. Health officials also visited the complex to make sure it would be safe for occupancy this coming weekend for a wedding booked some time back.

“Damage from the fire extinguishers even caused me to lose items stored in sealed plastic storage boxes,” another vendor stated.

THE INVESTIGATION

The investigation is ongoing and no suspects have yet been identified. However, DNA samples were obtained from the location, along with plastic gloves from the kitchen, which appeared to officers to have been used by the subject(s).

Persons with information about the burglary and vandalism are urged to call the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station at (909) 336-0600. (509)