Overnight break-in reported at state park entry station
July 16, 2024 | By Lisa ScagliottiJuly 17 Update: Details were added regarding the items taken in this burglary.
State police are investigating a break-in at the Waterbury Center State Park ranger station (far right) early Tuesday morning. The park is closed due to still-high water levels after last week’s flood. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
Vermont State Police report that the check-in station at the Waterbury Center State Park once again was the target of a burglary.
In a press release this afternoon, Trooper Mae Murdock issued a request to the public for information that could help this new investigation.
Based on security camera footage, investigators estimated that sometime between 1:53 and 2:29 a.m. early this morning, July 16, two individuals broke into the state park’s ranger station at the park entrance on Reservoir Road in Waterbury.
Security camera images show two individuals - one wearing a long-sleeved jacket, and another with tattoos wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt. Click to enlarge. Photos courtesy of Vermont State Parks from state police
Vermont State Parks security camera image from Vt. State Police
The footage shows the two individuals inside the small building where park visitors check in and out. “The individuals looked through items within the station and ultimately left the station with a safe,” Murdock says in the report.
According to Chad Ummel, Parks Operations Manager for state parks in the region including Waterbury Center State Park, in addition to the safe itself, the thieves made off with a handful of state park passes that are usable only when activated upon sale; $300 in start-up cash, the minimum on hand for daily operations; several empty bank deposit bags and deposit slips. Also in the safe was a pyrotechnic banging “goose gun” used to deter birds at the park, Ummel said, noting that the ammunition is stored elsewhere and was not taken.
The building at the entry to the popular state park has been the target of break-ins before. In 2023, state police investigated three similar robberies on July 18, Aug. 9, and Aug. 21. In those incidents, cash was taken from the building safe as well as state park passes.
In addition to the camera footage, police on Tuesday said that multiple pieces of evidence were recovered from the scene including DNA from this latest incident. The two individuals are men with one having visible tattoos. State police shared a video clip and several still images.
Security camera footage shows the burglary in progress. State parks video from Vermont State Police
Anyone with information that could assist this investigation is encouraged to contact Trooper Murdock at the Berlin state police barracks at 802-229-9191. Anonymous tips may be provided online at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
The park currently is closed due to continuing high water levels in the reservoir since last week’s flooding event. State parks officials have not announced when the park may reopen because cleanup and some repairs will be needed once the water level returns to normal. In 2023, the first break-in also took place when the park was closed following the July flood.