Thief came in through the service window

Sometime between 9:40 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday, an intruder broke into the Outpost, a snack bar on the lower east campus of Cal State Long Beach, according to Lt. Judi King of the University Police.

The only items believed to have been stolen were six bank bags containing a total of approximately $1,500, Lt. King said.

Clara Gomez, manager of the Outpost, entered the eatery at 6 a.m., noticed the break-in and called police.

The intruder(s) took the money from a rifled-through file cabinet. They apparently also went through a desk.

Lt. King said it appeared the intruder(s) removed a temporary closure from a service window and crawled through the opening.

"What's unfortunate is that the evidence [plastic service window and board closure] was taken out with the trash."

Lt. King said investigators theorize that the burglars removed the window and covering and threw them in a nearby dumpster. The dumpster is usually emptied about one half hour before the Outpost opens.

"We processed the scene," Lt. King said. "We dusted for fingerprints and took photos."

She said the investigation would be greatly helped by a witness.

"Anyone who has a night class around there [near the Engineering and SSPA Buildings] could have seen something." Lt. King said the Outpost apparently is not equipped with a burglar alarm.

John L. Bellah, an investigator with University Police, called the break-in a "rarity."

"There might have been problems in the past," Bellah said. "But this is new."

Gary Adams, General Manager of the 49er Shops, Inc., which owns the Outpost, said the snack shop was vulnerable. "Someone obviously saw a weak spot and exploited it," Adams said.

Although insurance exists to cover the loss, Adams believes that filing with the carrier would be in vain due to the deductible.