BARELLAN residents are fearful of further break-ins in their small town.
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In the early hours of last Thursday morning, the Barellan and District War Memorial was broken into.
Manager Mel Irvin received a call from a staff member about 4.50am.
“One of our casuals rents a house across the road and she heard the alarm going off,” Ms Irvin said.
“She went over and the front door was open. She went in and went straight to the alarm pad to try and turn if off.”
Ms Irvin said the staff member called her and she went to the club.
“She was waiting out the front for me. We went in and had a look around and checked all the rooms. We noticed there was a cupboard open behind the bar and then I noticed the little safe was open.”
Ms Irvin said there was no sign of forced entry to the safe. The thief stole about $3000.
She called police and reviewed CCTV footage from the night before.
“We saw he was outside of the club for about 40 minutes,” she said.
Ms Irvin said the man forced his way into the club via a window. “We saw him crawling across the dance floor,” she said.
“He crawled behind the bar area and checked a few cupboards.”
Ms Irvin said the man did not activate the alarm system when he was crawling.
However, when he stood up it was activated.
Ms Irvin said the man was wearing a hoodie and red gloves and had distinctive tattoos on his right leg.
“We’re all in shock,” she said. “Barellan needs a full-time police officer. People know there’s not any here and that’s why things are happening.”
Ms Irvin said she was nervous about returning to work, but security had been bolstered.
“Police say they have some suspects,” she said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Griffith police on 6969 4299 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.