Police are investigating two nearby burglaries that occurred early Thursday morning in south Salina.
Officers were sent to the USD 305 maintenance building, 1835 S. Broadway Boulevard, for the report of a burglary, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester reported this morning. A USD 305 employee told police that when he pulled in the south entrance of the parking lot, he saw a Millermatic Welder sitting at the southeast corner of the parking lot. He then observed a window shattered on a door at the southeast corner of the building.
Numerous power tools and other tools were taken from the building.
During a search of the area, many of the items were recovered around the Dollar General fence and Feldkamp Furniture Store lot to the east, Forrester explained. Items that remain missing include the following, he added.
A DeWalt 20v Hammer Drill, valued at $280
A DeWalt 20V Impact Drill, valued at $140
A Hypertherm Powermax 45 XP Plasma Cutter, valued at $2,100
10 Dewalt 18v batteries, valued at $110
Eight Dewalt battery chargers
The total of the items taken was valued at $8,000, Forrester noted.
During the search, officers also located three fire extinguishers and a 32-inch Samsung television, he added.
Officers then were sent to the nearby Genesis Health Club, 1808 S. Ninth Street for the report of a burglary. It was reported that the cleaning crew had left at around 12:30 a.m. and a maintenance worker arrived at 4 a.m., Forrester reported. The maintenance worker saw that a 32-inch Samsung television, valued at $400, had been removed from a wall. Additionally, three fire extinguishers, valued at $150, had been taken.
It was discovered that a rear garage door had been inadvertently unlocked and was believed to be the point of entry into the business, Forrester reported.
The fire extinguishers and television were those that were recovered nearby, and were returned to the health club.
Both burglaries were believed to have occurred between midnight and 4:10 a.m. Thursday, Forrester noted.
Surveillance video from the area is being reviewed.