By reporter Steven Smalley
The window of opportunity was tiny. The overnight workers left Finn?s ? the small bakery in our Village ? at 4:15 a.m., Dec. 29. The first employee of the day arrived at 5:45 a.m. Within that small time frame someone entered the premises without damaging any doors, used the entry code to open the safe, made off with $980, and locked the door behind them. Police call this rip-off, ?an inside job.?
With the owner, Meghan Hargraves, back east on holiday, it was up to employees to pick up the pieces, begin to learn what happened, and who did it. They have their suspicions. Although no video was found from neighboring businesses, it didn?t take much to put together a scenario based on the history of a previous employee who recently resigned.
?It was someone we trusted who would do this,? said an employee who spoke with Magnolia Voice. ?It?s really violating. We brought them into the family, then they just turn around and steal from us.?
The only other item taken during the heist was the iPad workers use to clock in, among other business functions. A neighboring business kindly lent them another.
In the meantime, ?Everyone is staying,? the employee revealed. ?No one is leaving. We?re pulling together.?
Finn?s asks anyone who saw a car or person in the Village during that time to come forward and give identifying information.
The employee says the?loss will be?covered by insurance.