January 1, 2004

Two downtown merchants robbed

Two downtown businesses were broken into sometime between the evening of Friday, Dec. 26, and the morning of Sat., Dec. 27, resulting in the loss of hundreds of dollars and several guns at one business and an as yet undetermined loss of jewelry at the other.

Someone smashed in the side door of Wind Horse, 253 Xenia Avenue, during the night, according to police records, and secured entrance to the store. The store’s manager has “noticed a lot of items missing,” according to the police statement and is currently making a list of items stolen.

The building’s owner, Muriel Meray, who lives on top of the store, stated that she heard a loud noise around 1:45 a.m. Saturday morning, but thought it was the police checking the door and did not investigate.

Next door at Hasser’s Barber Shop, 255 Xenia Avenue, intruders gained entrance by smashing a rear window sometime during that night, according to store owner Greg Hasser, who discovered the break-in at 8 a.m. the next morning. He discovered cash in the amount of $600 to $800 missing from a drawer as well as the loss of an undetermined number of silver coins. Also missing were three guns, a .22-caliber Tac-22, an “Uzi-style gun” and a .22 semiautomatic target pistol.

Police are investigating the break-ins.