BROOKINGS – Brookings Police have found several items they believe might have been stolen in a rash of forced entry break-ins. They are asking the public to look around and see if they are missing items.

The items, including some tools and sporting goods equipment, were found around 10:43 a.m. Friday at Lions Park, off Medary Avenue, just south of First Street, north of the railroad tracks, Lt. Marci Gebers said.

“We basically have this found property that no one has claimed yet,” Gebers said.

At 1:57 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 500 block of First Street South. There were signs of attempted forced entry to a shop in that location, Gebers said. 

The attempted forced entry caused damage to the lock, she added.

“The person that owns this shop also owns a house and a garage in the 100 block of Sixth Avenue South, and that’s right next to the shop,” Gebers said. “There was forced entry into the garage … there was damage to the doorjamb.”

“There were no items that were stolen from the garage, but the officers noticed that there was footwear impressions outside of the shop that appeared to be the same footwear impressions that was at Lions Park next to the found tools and sporting goods equipment,” she said.

“There was only one set of footwear impressions,” she added.

“We think that the person that made forced entry into the garage and tried to get into the shop went along the route there and ended up dumping some of this stuff off in the park and people probably don’t realize that their possessions are gone,” Gebers said.

She asked the public to check for items that may be missing, especially if their garages were left unlocked.

“Or they could check for signs of forced entry,” she added.

“If people could just check, if they reside in that area, around Sixth Avenue South or over by Lions Park; they could just check their garages or out buildings, see if they have any items that are missing or if there are any signs of forced entry or attempted forced entry,” Gebers said.

“Anyone between the location of the shop and the garage and Lions Park, if they have any video surveillance footage, they could just review that and let us know if they find anything suspicious or worth noting,” Gebers said.

Another report was made at 4:17 a.m. Saturday and an officer was dispatched to the 1000 block of First Street, just north of Lions Park, Gebers said.

“The reporting party woke up and saw that lights were on in his garage. He noticed that … the garage door had been kicked in, and there were some items that were stolen. They were darts from a dartboard,” Gebers said. “That was the only thing that that person found to be missing from their garage.”

There is no damage estimate at this time, she added.

If you find signs someone has been on your property, or your video might be helpful in solving these incidents, call the police at 692-2113 or stop by the station at 307 Third Ave. in Brookings.