An Okotoks business owner is out thousands after two break-in attempts last month.
Sunday Oct. 8 Fountain Tire owner and manager Dean White was woken up by a call at 2 a.m. from his alarm company that somebody had broken in through his front door.
They had stolen a box with some petty cash, but otherwise escaped empty-handed as the security system went off. The empty box was later recovered by police in a stolen car that had gone off the road in the snow, White said.
The second time around, on Oct. 24, White received another call at 12:25 a.m. thieves smashed a showroom window and unsuccessfully attempted to steal vehicle keys.
"So they smashed the front window in and they put a tow strap on my key drop trying to haul it out," White said.
That wasn't the only time thieves have targeted the key drop either, he added, as the door panel had been previously been cut out by attempts to get around the box.
The damage to a roll-up door panel alone will run the business $7,000, White said.
None of the attempts on the key box have been successful, White said, thanks to fortifications made to it.
Despite that, White is further hardening the key drop, as well as installing steel shutters and beefed up security, setting him back hundreds more on top of repair costs.
"So $500 for (the door), and the insurance deductible I have to pay is $2,000 to have the window replaced and recoup my money," White said. "So I'm out $2,500 plus whatever.
"And I'm doing the steel shutters now, it's going to cost me just under $6,000 because I can't take anymore chances — $2,000 a couple of times, it just gets old real fast."
As the would-be thieves abandoned a tow strap after their failed attempt, White joked that at least he got a free tow strap out of the ordeal.
The break-ins also had a roll-on effect beyond the shop damage.
"It's tough when it's really busy; I got an hour and a half sleep that night and I come in here and work 12 hours the next day," White said.
"No kidding, I went home and shovelled my walk that night, fell down, hurt my shoulder and took a shovel to the face, lost a tooth.
"All in relation to being tired and having to deal with this kind of stuff."
At the end of the day, White said he was glad nothing happened during hours that could endanger his staff.
