Bliss hit by robbers; money and guns missing

The epidemic of break-ins at public institutions has spread to the nation’s premier cultural site, the beautifully recreated Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. The worst part was that this crime was not perpetrated by a bunch of kids out for mischief.

William Neal, Executive Director, ICA
“The security guard was not terribly hurt but obviously very shaken by what had transpired and I think at this point it is just disheartening because the monies, some of the monies, are what we made from the final nights of the festival of arts.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
The security guard had been on duty for five hours when three armed masked men burst into the lobby, tied him up and then spent the next three hours ransacking three offices inside the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. The burglars left behind a trail of destruction that started from the finance and administration’s office.

William Neal
“They had enough time obviously to rip off the safe door and they had the proper equipment to do it as well and they went with some monies and some guns.”

The undisclosed amount of cash was proceeds from the final performance of the festival of arts. The stolen weapons include two shot guns and two hand guns.

William Neal
“We have had guns, licensed guns, for our security guards to use while you know big shows are on and stuff like that and then it is not only for the Bliss. It’s when we have NICH events, remember as part of NICH we also have to do patrols sometimes for our sites, our archaeological sites, and stuff so those were kept here but it is not specifically only for the Bliss. The chief of security operates out of this office as well so that was the reason why we had the guns here.”

The burglar’s actions suggest they were familiar with the buildings. The Executive Director for the Institute of Creative Arts William Neal would not speculate on whether he believe if it was an inside job but whoever committed the crime made sure that they protected their identities.

William Neal
“It is hard to say how they gained access to the building but obviously they knew what they were doing. They found our security tapes, they took those. They disconnected the cameras; they did everything that they had to do so it is obvious it was something they have been planning for awhile.”

“They just went through everything so it just feels like a violation and that it is counter productive to what you are trying to achieve you know. I noh know in terms of speculation who did it and why but I guess the police will conduct their investigations and we will see what happens.”

The security guard finally managed to free himself around four-thirty this morning and call for help.