They opened AJ Liquidation in the town about a year and a half ago. Living in Springdale and operating a business there, they grew accustomed to feeling safe and not having much worry about break-ins or thefts.
“If I had a Husqvarna chainsaw left out in my front yard in Springdale, I know it would still be there the next day,” Todd said.
That’s not the case in Deer Lake, according to the businessman. In fact, he said he had a lawn mower valued at more than $500 in the town last year. He did not get all the grass cut, so left the mower to finish the job the next day. The mower was stolen overnight.
“Deer Lake is a nasty town for that kind of stuff,” he said.
The Powers said the people of Deer Lake and the area have been great to them since they opened their first retail outlet. It is obviously the few bad apples giving the town a bad rap, Todd said.
March 16, they noticed the back door to the liquidation outlet was heavily damaged. It is not used a lot, so they think it could have happened any time over that weekend. It appears somebody had done their best to gain entry, using a crowbar or some sort of tool in an attempt to pry it open. Access was not gained, and they are thankful for the heavy dead bolt that kept the culprit(s) out.
Tracy said the store has a lot of products she considers targetting items for anybody looking to turn things into cash. Although it is a liquidation place, she said there are a lot of high-end things like watches, cameras, laptops, and generators.
They have a security system in place, equipped with video surveillance. However, this area of the business was not under video. If the thiefs-to-be had to gain access, in-store video would have captured it. Despite the foiled attempt, they are still upping their security system.
“I’d like to put in a pitbull,” Todd said. “One that doesn’t bark or make a sound until they get in.”
Twitter: @WS_CoryHurley
