Mission General Store robbed

ST. IGNATIUS — An unknown person allegedly broke into the Mission General Store and stole around $350 in cash Wednesday morning.

The thief did so little damage that store owner Delbert Bontrager did not realize the cash was missing until Wednesday evening. Upon further investigation Bontrager noticed minor disturbances in the main store and that the doorknob had been pried off the back door. Bontrager estimates that the perpetrator did $600-700 worth of damage to the door while breaking in.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department responded to the store’s call, but according to Bontrager, law enforcement was unable to obtain much evidence. Before realizing that a burglary had taken place, employees had rearranged things in the store and unknowingly contaminated the alleged crime scene.

“I’ve been here quite a few years, and I’ve always thought that this might happen, but until now it never did,” Bontrager said.

He believes that the thief was familiar with the layout of the store, and that he or she had planned the crime.

“I think it was premeditated because it was done on a snowy night and the person knew right where the cash was,” he said, adding that there are currently no leads or suspects in the case.