Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 16/98) - A number of rifles were among items taken during a break-in at the 2837 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps hall at the Giant Mine site Saturday night.

RCMP Sgt. Marlin Degrand said three .22-calibre rifles, six .177-calibre air rifles, a Canadian flag, two flag pole covers, five sleeping bags, a non-firing trophy styled 303-calibre rifle and a number of rifle scopes were taken in the theft.

"We believe there's probably more than one suspect involved," said Degrand.

"The type of stuff taken in this incident is going to surface. This is something you can't keep quiet."

Lieut. Al McConnell, the local corps' commanding officer, said there seems to be more behind the break-in than theft.

He said the incident won't damage the running of the corps, but it will put a crimp on the program's efficiency for a while.

"Someone went on a hate spree and damaged a lot of equipment unnecessarily," said McConnell.

"To me, it seemed like they came out to get certain things and what they couldn't, or wouldn't carry, they smashed."

McConnell said the corps had a number of pictures hanging on the walls and anything focused on local or Whitehorse cadets was smashed, but parachute pictures were left intact.

"To me, they were striking out against the corps or maybe individuals in the corps, I don't know.

"They busted up some computer monitors and our photocopier, which is an integral part of our equipment on a Wednesday night."

McConnell said the cadets had just received new rifles, so the stolen firearms will result in their shooting program being slowed, but not halted.

"We had four officers out to the corps trying to figure out who did this," said McConnell.

"Someone had to know what they were doing and where to go to find this stuff."

As for replacing the smashed items, McConnell said most of them were donated to the cadets by people who aren't in the area any more.

"What we're going to have to do is probably whine and cry to the public and see if someone will donate a new photocopier and maybe help us out with some computer parts."

There are up to eight adults involved with the local army cadet program, and McConnell said between 30 to 35 cadets are expected to take part this year.

He said almost every kid who has successfully completed the cadet program has nothing but praise for it.

"We have kids go through the program, age out at 19, and then want to come back right away and help. "Overall, I'd have to say some pretty good people come out of the cadet movement."