Looking Back to January 1936: Burglars rob Mercantile, taking clothing and cash
This look back at Paso Robles history comes from local newspapers in the Paso Robles Area Historical Society collection. News for this column is selected with the assistance of Research Director Jan Cannon. Newspaper photography by GiGi Green.
Excerpts from Thursday, January 9, 1936, Paso Robles Advertiser
Burglars rob Mercantile store Sunday
Clumsy thieves use odd tools for cash grab, take clothes
Amateur burglars, who left a well-marked trail behind, broke into the Paso Robles Mercantile Co., department store sometime Sunday night, taking merchandise and approximately $15.50 in cash.
Clumsy and inexpert as they were in the fine art of smashing strong boxes, they were at least bold, or reckless enough to work in full view of whoever might have been abroad, under the glare of a 200-watt spotlight in the ready-to-wear, and a 75-watt lamp in the hardware department.
Gaining entry to the service yard of the store from the alley back of 12th Street, they climbed a handy stepladder to the roof of one of the storage sheds. From here, they forced a second-floor window open into the hotel above the store. Breaking a second window, they climbed onto the roof over the hardware department and smashed a skylight over the office.
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Tear out wiring
Needing a “rope” they returned to the hallway of the hotel, tore off approximately 40 feet of electrical conduit (without “blowing” a fuse) and fastening this, used it to lower themselves into the building.
There, literally surrounded with tools of every description, they used a price-card holder to pry the fronts off two drawers of the cash register. The room was well-lighted, and they left taking 60 cents in small change from the coin box.
After a trip to the shoe department, where they secured a rather awkward tool, ordinarily used for shoe stretching, the pried part of the fronts off the two top drawers in the ready-to-wear, and obtained about $10 in cash. This also was under the direct glare of a bright light, while a third register, hidden from the street behind a pillar, in the men’s wear department, was overlooked, although they had to pass by it at least two times.
Visit office
From the desk of Mr. Claassen’s office, they obtained another $5, and after examining a bunch of keys found there, proceeded to leave the building after breaking various locks, forcing or attempting to force various doors open at the rear of the building.
They looted the men’s wear department, although no definite check of the goods taken could be made. Police believe that they probably remained in the store for several hours. Why the simple method of pressing one of the many keys which decorate the fronts of the cash registers was not used in preference to the laborious system of prying with poorly adapted tools, remains a mystery.
Except for what was taken, all of Saturday’s receipts were in the store safe. The presence of several employees in the store Sunday, sets the time of the robbery at some period during the night.
Read previous Looking Back articles
- Looking Back to November 1934: Town has a crime wave, storm pounds the area
- Looking Back to 1936: Businessmen ask police to stop ticketing vehicles, it’s bad for tourism
- Looking Back to 1952: Paso Robles sees 81% voter turnout, housewife aids bandit capture
- Looking Back to October 1956: Fish and Game manager commends police department
- Looking Back to 1940: City refunds water deposits to renters, 1554 locals register for the draft
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