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Would-be thief wreaks havoc at Rankin bank

Youth, 17, charged after break-ins

JOHN THOMPSON

Police in Rankin Inlet have charged a 17-year-old boy after a string of break-ins in the early hours of July 30.

Loud noises awoke one resident, who called police after seeing someone run away from Rankin's Royal Bank building. A police patrol found a youth crawling beneath one building and pulled him out by the ankles. He emerged holding a hammer and screwdriver. After a brief struggle he was disarmed and taken into custody.

A later investigation showed the young man broke into The Royal Bank, Sakku Drugs, Rankin Inlet Social Services and the Niuvirvialaaky Store, police said.

The most expensive item in his possession was a cash register taken from one store, valued at about $750. Besides that, he had little to show from the spree: less than $50 in cash, including a roll of nickels and some loose change, a dial from one safe and a set of keys.

"It wasn't a big haul," said Cst. Sean O'Brien.

Police laid eight charges: three counts of break and entry, one possession of an instrument for break and entry, one stolen property charge and three counts of mischief.

Damage inside the Royal Bank was extensive, where a glass door was smashed and both the bank vault and automatic banking machine were damaged to the point of being inoperable. The cost of replacing the banking machine alone could add up to $100,000.

"We're open, but we have no cash," said manager Catherine Lightfoot on Tuesday. "We can't accept cash because we have no safe place to put it. All we can do right now is deposit cheques.

"He knocked the combo right off the vault door."

She expected the vault to be repaired by Thursday, but couldn't say when the ATM would be working again.

"It's a huge problem, not just for us, but for the community. Elders cash their cheques today, and we can't do that for them."

The accused will appear in youth court on October 31, 2005.

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