Overnight break in at Peninsula Center Mall

  • By DAN BALMER
  • Tuesday, April 1, 2014 7:23pm
  • News

Three businesses inside the Peninsula Center Mall were burglarized overnight in Soldotna.

Soldotna police received a call from a mall employee who reported the break in at approximately 7:18 a.m. Tuesday.

Officer Tobin Brennan said he could not identify, describe or say how many suspects were involved or how or at what time the break in occurred because the incident is still under investigation.

Once inside the mall the suspects forced entry into three businesses, Ginger’s Restaurant, Laone’s Kenai River Purse and 27 Red Salon, Brennan said. A small amount of cash was stolen from the restaurant, but no cash had been left on the premises of the purse store or salon, he said.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

By using video surveillance, police were able to follow the path the suspects took to break into the businesses. The suspects first broke into the purse store through the front door window to get to the cash register, he said.

Laone Benton, who has owned the purse store over five years, said she does not keep money in the store at night because the mall has been burglarized before. While no merchandize was stolen, she was shocked to see the condition of her shop when she arrived to work.

“There was broken glass on the floor and everything was shoved around to get to the register,” she said. “I sure hope (police) have a good idea who did this and they don’t get away with it.”

Brennan said the suspects then pried into the door of the restaurant and took a small amount of cash from the register.

The back door to the salon was kicked open, but no items were stolen, he said.

The suspects were inside the mall roughly 15 minutes and it wasn’t until the morning when a mall janitor called police about the intrusion, he said.

The estimated damage is valued at less than $4,000, with most of the damage done to the broken window at the purse store, he said.

“It is less about the money and more about the property damage,” Brennan said.

Soldotna police are following leads to discover who was involved. Anyone with information is asked to contact Officer Brennan with the Soldotna Police Department at 262-4455. 

 

Reach Dan Balmer at daniel.balmer@peninsulaclarion.com

More in News

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof closes Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in