Blue River, Ore. – A string of break-ins at Blue Sky Market in the McKenzie River Valley has left the local community shaken. The market, a cherished business in the rural area, was burglarized twice in a span of just a few hours on the morning and evening of April 28.
Located an hour west of Eugene and an hour and a half west of Bend, Blue Sky Market serves as a vital part of the Blue River community, where crime is typically rare. Store owner Balker “Sunny” Basi expressed his disbelief at the events, noting that in his years of operating the market, he has never experienced a break-in of this nature.
“It is bizarre, this usually doesn’t happen around here. It’s a really good community and very peaceful ’round here,” Basi said.
Surveillance footage from the store showed what appears to be a group of teenagers breaking in during both incidents. The thieves used a rock to smash open the front doors of the market before targeting items behind the counter, including vapes. While significant damage was done to the store, including the destruction of the doors, the register remained intact and no money was taken.
Store manager Christina Pettner, who has worked at Blue Sky Market for over a decade, described the panic she felt when she learned of the break-ins. The burglars had initially broken one side of the door, which was boarded up, but they returned later to break the other side.
“A rock had been thrown through the front door so I immediately panicked because the store opener didn’t know if there was still somebody inside or not,” Pettner recalled. “They had initially broken the right side of the door. We boarded that up, so they went through the left side of the door.”
The damage to the store amounted to thousands of dollars, and the stolen items, though not extensive, represented a significant loss for a small business. Pettner expressed her concern that the thieves could be locals, possibly motivated by being denied a sale due to age restrictions.
“Maybe they got denied sale because they were underage, but I did worry about it being local and I’m really hoping that it’s not the case. It’s crossed my mind,” Pettner said.
Fortunately, Blue Sky Market’s security cameras captured clear images of the thieves. Basi emphasized the importance of the footage in helping authorities track down the culprits. The cameras provided a good view of the suspects’ faces, which could be key in identifying them.
“It’s pretty important, it’s the main key to finding these guys, the security camera is the main key,” Basi explained. “They did make a mistake, so we got some images, some pretty clear images of their face on one of the guys. I think the sheriff’s already on it.”
As the investigation continues, the Blue River community remains hopeful that law enforcement will quickly identify and apprehend the thieves. For now, the local market, a cornerstone of daily life in the area, is left to pick up the pieces after a crime that has left many questioning their once-safe surroundings.
