Burglar robs Dayton Senior Center

DAYTON - A burglar broke into the Dayton Senior Center about midnight Thursday morning by shattering the glass on a door with a rock. The only thing taken was cash.

"They took what I can figure to be only about $100 in bills from the building fund jar and $25 from the change box," said Site Manager Shannon Coday.

"It's really pathetic when people come in and steal from the seniors. Only a lowlife would do this."

The jar was kept on the sign-in counter at the front door. All of the change within the jar was dumped on the floor behind the counter.

Ed Candee, who was sleeping in his car parked on the east side of the building, was awakened by what he thought was a gunshot around midnight.

"I hear gunshots all the time up by the high school," said Candee. "So when I heard this, I wasn't sure if it was a gunshot. But hearing the shots so often, I didn't think anything of it.

"But whoever did it had to be in and out of here real quick. I didn't see or hear anything else."

Lyon County Deputy J.W. Francis dusted for fingerprints and gathered statements from Coday, Candee and George Speeter, an employee with the county's public works department. Speeter discovered the break-in shortly after arriving at 6:30 a.m.

"I saw the money on the floor and thought it was being counted," said Speeter. "Then after going through the building, I noticed the broken glass and the rock lying on the floor."

Speeter called his supervisor and the sheriff's department to report the break-in. The building has no security system and the exterior lights on the north side of the building were not lit. The lights function on a timer.

"I will talk with the site council about a security system," said Coday. "Maybe we can get a relatively inexpensive system that hooks into the sheriff's department.

"I feel bad. Very, very bad that this happened. And for the people who come in here and regularly drop money into that jar. My mind is just racing as to who might have done this. It's very unnerving."

The seniors expressed surprise, anger and irritation as Coday told them the news. Still, each one gave her a hug and continued with their business.

"I just started this job and look what happens. I try to think if I could have done anything differently. It's all very frustrating."

Deputy Francis was able to pick up two fingerprints off the counter where the jar was located.

"It's hard to say if there was more than one person involved," said Francis.