We’ve got a strange case here, folks. A man broke into Higher Grounds in Arcata on New Year’s Day about 6:50 a.m. But that wasn’t the first time he’d been in the shop. On New Year’s Eve, he browsed the store from around 4:30 in the afternoon until almost 6 p.m. making the clerk nervous.  Just before closing he went into a dressing room, urinated and, eventually, ran out the door with a pair of stolen pants without the shop clerk noticing.

The burglar browses the store on New Year’s Eve.

Then on New Year’s Day when the shop was closed, he returned and broke in taking over $2000 worth of merchandise including eight $100 sweatshirts.  

He was only in the shop for about 10 minutes when he left. Then, explained store manager Amy Cilley, he returned later carrying a box. See photo below.

 And, mysteriously, on the 2nd, he returned between 4 and 6 a.m. and turned the security cameras upside down.

“We’re not really sure what he was doing,” Cilley said. 

This is the third time in the last three months that the owner of this business has had one of his businesses broken into. A man was arrested for an October break in. These guys in this story haven’t been caught yet but there is a reward.

If you have any information about the incident, please contact the Arcata Police Department at (707) 822-2428.