UPDATE: Anderson police say they have arrested three people for the burglary of the Brooklyn Little League concession stand.
Police arrested Rodney A. Taylor II, Tony M. Adkins and Lindsey M. Perry.
All three face burglary and theft charges.
Police say the three burglarized the little league concession stand at least two times between August 18th and August 21st where more than $3,000.00 in goods were stolen.
ORIGINAL STORY:
ANDERSON, Ind. (WTHR) - For the second time this month, thieves broke into the Brooklyn Little League concession stand at Erskine Park in Anderson. This time, they took almost everything.
The Skittles, Fun Dip and Big League Chew boxes are empty on the shelves. Most of the Gatorade and soft drink cans were emptied from the cooler. Chocolate bars were taken from the fridge. A dozen large bags of nacho cheese were swiped.
The thieves stole everything but the bases at Carl Erskine Park, named for the former Brooklyn Dodgers World Series winning pitcher and Anderson legend.
The league hosted about 350 players and 29 baseball and softball teams this summer.
"It really makes me mad,” said Brooklyn Little League president Aaron Higgins. “People are stealing from the kids. It's not from me. I've been president for two years. I have a board of 20 individuals. But it's not us. It's us collectively as a league and it's all for the kids."
The thieves apparently pried open the plywood doors over the back window that faces the baseball field and were able to release a latch. Iron bars in that window are just nine inches apart, but someone climbed through and apparently cleaned out the concession stand last weekend. The thieves passed everything that would fit back out the small window opening.
About 100 Major League Baseball caps were also stolen from the building. The league estimates the hats and food products stolen cost more than $3,000 but could have been sold at the concession stand for about $7000.
“The concession stand runs and sustains the league,” said Higgins. “It has to generate money. The loss we just took is very hurtful."
The league board planned to replace the scoreboard on the softball field for $3,200 but now believes the league must invest in a video security system instead. The league usually turns off the power to the concession stand in the winter. But a security system will add cost with year-round utility bills.
The league board is planning a “Brooklyn Proud Bash” for September 22, a family fun event to try to recoup some of the money lost in the theft.
Higgins says Brooklyn Little League had never had a theft previously in his six years on the board. The league lost less than $50 in the first theft in early August, plus a few broken trophies. Higgins doesn't believe they were hit twice by the same thieves. He says a child may have slipped through the window bars. But he thinks an adult was involved in the most recent theft.
Anyone with information on either theft is urged to call Anderson Police at 765-648-6715.