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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Burglary Could Mean The End Of Valley Snowboard/Skateboard Business

Just four months after young Valley entrepreneurs Shane Nowka and Marc Conley opened their snowboard and skateboard shop, a burglar has apparently put them out of business.

Someone broke into their store, Locol Board and Skate, Tuesday night and stole their entire inventory of snowboards, skateboards and accessories.

“The insurance company says they don’t cover for theft. This may be the end of Local,” said Conley, who is 22.

Conley said the policy he and his 27-year-old partner had purchased covers theft only after six months. The case has been turned over to detectives, Sheriff’s Department spokesman Dave Reagan said.

The burglary of the shop at Fourth Avenue and Pines Road occurred between 11 p.m. Tuesday and 2 a.m. Wednesday, according to police reports.

Conley said he had been bowling with friends, then took them to the shop to show them the store and skateboard on the indoor half pipe. He found the back door’s hinges pried open and a swastika was painted in the back repair room, he said.

“I noticed nothing was left. It’s a heartbreaker,” Conley said.

The stolen merchandise was worth $17,000, according to police reports. Nowka and Conley opened their shop in August at the corner of Pines Road and Sprague Avenue above Walgreens RXpress.

They encountered problems there over signs. First, their landlord ordered them to remove a bright, banner-style sign they had hung on the building. Then, they were told to take down a sign they erected on the building’s roof.

The same landlord, Hamilton’s Advance Company Inc., offered them space for their shop in a former Premier Video store at Fourth and Pines and they moved earlier this month.

Nowka’s father, Jim Nowka, said the past months have been difficult.

“Here’s two young men trying to get themselves going. … This is disturbing that these things happen.”

, DataTimes