Sweet tooth bandit alledgedly returns to the scene of the crime

One trip to the concession stand apparently couldn't satisfy an alledged burglar with a sweet tooth.

James Russell, a 20 year old Sidney man, was arrested in connection with a break in that apparently took place sometime on the night of July 15 at the Legion Park concession stand. Russell was previously arrested and charged with theft of candy and soft drinks from the same location in June.

At around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sidney Police responded to a report of a burglary at the Legion Park baseball field concession stand, according to a release from Police Chief Joseph Aikens. Russell was booked in Cheyenne County Jail in connection with the crime.

Bonita Dickinson who works at the stand, wondered what caused Russell to allegedly hit the same place twice.

"Why would you go back to the scene of the crime?" Dickinson asked.

Russell and any possible accomplices apparently climbed over the fence that encircles the field to reach the concession stand, she said. Those responsible for the break in then somehow propped open the stand's window.

"Someone very small was able to climb through," Dickinson reported.

Sometimes those who work in the stand leave towels beneath the windows to stop water leaks. Parks department personnel saw the towels laying out on the ground outside the stand and called the police. Although police records say the alleged burglars got away with about $100 in candy and soda, Dickinson doesn't believe the loss as extensive as in June.

"It was not anywhere near like they did before," Dickinson said.

American Legion does not leave any money inside the stand.

"It's kind of sad in a way, because the money [from sales] is used to give back to the community," she added.

Dickinson thinks that kids might break in to take a little candy and then end up grabbing more than they intended because there are so many varieties stored in the stand.

"They feel like they can get away with it," Dickinson said.

She expressed grief that local youths turn to crime.

"It's just too bad that kids just feel that they need to steal when there are so many other options," Dickinson said.

The police response was very quick. A surveillance camera was placed nearby after the previous incident, although there is no report at this point of evidence caught on tape.

Russell was arrested in June for his previous burglary of the concession stand and theft of coins and cash from numerous vehicles in the Sidney area according to a Cheyenne County Sheriff's office affidavit.

On June 16, an officer went to Russell's residence on 11th Avenue, and found numerous snack items that were consistent with a burglary of the concession stand. Candy, popsicles and pop were stolen from the stand.

A citizen's tip led them to Russell.

"We received an anonymous lead about some suspicious activity at the residence," Aikens said at the time.

When the officer arrived to question Russell, he saw many items that he identified as being from the concession burglary. Russell claimed that friends had brought the items to his residence.

The police recovered most of the candy and soda taken during the June burglary and recently returned it, Dickinson said.