A downtown business is open after a weekend break-in.
“As we say at Bermuda, the sun always shines here. Whatever things knock you down, the sun always comes out tomorrow,” said Gail Mills, who owns Bermuda Tan on Balsam Street South.
Sunday morning, Mills arrived at the store early to take care of the four parrots and discovered someone had already been inside.
“When I came in, there was glass everywhere, the door’s all broken, smashed. My first thought was my parrots, my beloved birds that have been with me forever,” she recalled.
The business is outfitted with security cameras and there are images of the suspect, who she said was wearing a mask and gloves.
The break-in happened around 7:20 a.m. Dec. 13, she said someone smashed the front door with bricks and a shovel. The cash drawer was stolen, as well as merchandise unique to the store such as Jimmy Crystal sunglasses and Harley Davidson jewelry. The security key that runs her software program was also taken.
“Literally on camera (you) see him run out and hide some stuff and come run back in and empty my whole display cabinet, which had well over $10,000 of stuff,” she said.
Timmins Police corporate communications coordination Marc Depatie said the break-in investigation is "proceeding at a healthy pace."
Evidence found at the scene is still being processed by forensics for potential DNA identification, and the images captured on the security cameras are helping police efforts to identify the suspect, he said.
"Local pawn shops have been alerted to the unique nature of the items taken," said Depatie.
In a hard year for small business, the support of the community is helping Mills through.
During the first wave of COVID-19 when stores were closed, she said they lost their busiest time of year.
“That’s a third of my business gone, which you never get back. And then there is no travel this year, so we are a travel-based business. But on a good note, it feels good. A lot of the customers are coming back," Mills said, noting people are saying tanning makes them feel better or they can't go all winter without some sunshine.
Still, she said there is some feedback from people that they are scared to go downtown.
“And I hear that over and over again,” she said.
“My hours are not going to be until 10 p.m. at night. They’ve been for 30 years. During the winter, the busy season, I’m not going to be doing that anymore. One, I have employees working, I can’t have anybody working alone so there’s extra costs. I do have panic buttons, great cameras everywhere and I just installed three cameras outside."
She's considering bars similar to what's been installed at the 101 Mall, but also doesn't want "to be in a fortress."
The break-in is being investigated by the Timmins Police Criminal Investigations Unit.
Mills encourages people who are approached to buy merchandise on the street to contact police with a description of the person selling.
The non-emergency number for Timmins Police is 705-264-1201.
