Graham plants hit by robbers

MASON CITY – Robbers broke into two Graham Manufacturing plants in Mason City over the weekend.

Sources indicated that between Saturday and early Monday, the break-ins were discovered by employees.

“They came in through a window,” at both locations, one on 12th Street NE and the other at 19th SW.

The robbers proceeded to attempt to dismantle or gain access to change machines and food vending machines.  At the 12th Street plant, an older change machine was drilled into using tools that were already in the plant.  The robbers were unsuccessful in gaining access to the change machine there.

However, at the 19th Street SW location, robbers apparently had better luck. Again going in through a window at a manager’s office, the crooks made their way to the break room area, where they proceeded to pummel and beat a change machine and a food vending machine with hammers, a sawz-all and a drill that belonged to the company.  Between $1000 and $1500 was taken from the 19th Street SW plant.

Mason City police did not immediately respond to questions about the crimes. Mason City police were at both locations early Monday morning, apparently investigating the incidents.

“I think it was an inside job, someone really pissed at Graham,” one person familiar with Graham told NIT.

Graham is known to hire from the Beje Clark halfway house, with a fairly high rate of turnover, another source told NIT.

“I think they mostly quit hiring felons,” the source said.