THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994 TAG: 9406010492
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: D1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DeGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940601 LENGTH: KILL DEVIL HILLS
Between 2:30 and 6:30 a.m. Monday, someone disengaged the alarm system at Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar on N.C. Route 12, kicked in doors on the back storage room and stole about $40,000 in cash, checks and credit card receipts from the restaurant's safe - proceeds from three days of Memorial Day weekend sales.
{REST} ``I'd say it's one of the largest burglaries we've had in this town in at least two years,'' said Kill Devil Hills Police Detective Jim Mulford, who is investigating the crime.
``Obviously, someone knew exactly where to go and exactly what they were looking for.''
Jo Whitehead, who owns Awful Arthur's with her husband, Jay, said their beachfront raw bar was crowded all weekend with dinner and bar patrons. The restaurant closed about 2 a.m. Monday after ``doing a little bit better'' than last Memorial Day weekend.
Less than five hours later, all the money taken in since Friday was gone.
``The manager accidentally left the safe unlocked. But someone disarmed our extensive alarm system, so they must've known how to do that,'' Whitehead said.
`` Police had no suspects in the case as of Tuesday afternoon, Mulford said.
If you have any information about the break-in at Awful Arthur's, call Dare County Crimeline at (919) 473-3111. You don't have to leave your name. You could be eligible for rewards of up to $1,000.
{KEYWORDS} ROBBERIES
by CNB