Madras auto repair shop owner offers reward to find burglars

The owner of Mark’s Auto Repair in Madras, which was broken into last month, is now offering a $500 reward to encourage people with information to step forward and help solve the theft of items worth an estimated $17,000.

A burglary not only takes a financial toll on victims, but takes other tolls, too.

“It’s been hard on the family,” owner Mark Hodges said. “My wife’s not sleeping good. And of course it makes everybody worry when people get into your stuff.”

Those feelings linger well after Hodges came to his shop one day to find several items missing.

Two ATVs and two motorcycles were stolen, along with several pieces of technical equipment. The thieves also tried to steal cars in the lot outside, only to find they had missing parts and wouldn’t run.

The thieves got in by breaking a garage window, then covering the other windows and an exterior light with red spray paint to make sure no passers-by could see what they were doing.

Hodges said he’s doubtful he’ll make up for the financial losses caused by the burglary, even though police have recovered some of his stolen things.

One of the stolen motorcycles was recovered when police raided the house of a man who allegedly traded drugs to one of the burglars for the bike.

The two ATVs were found in a little-used warehouse about a week after the break-in.

This isn’t the only burglary in Madras recently — a jewelry store has been broken into twice since the start of the new year, and a few other repair shops have had vehicles stolen as well.

One suspect in this burglary has been identified, but his name isn’t being released yet. Police said he’s currently on the run, believed to be with three of his friends who law enforcement says may have taken part in the break-in.