Vandals Use Loaders At Stevens Pass

Fri., Nov. 19, 1999

From Staff

A vandal or vandals who broke into and operated three loaders used to clear snow and move sand at Stevens Pass caused nearly $100,000 damage, the state Department of Transportation said Thursday.

One Transportation Department loader - a tractor with a scoop - was used Wednesday to push concrete barricades out of the way near the pass’ 4,061-foot summit. It then was driven off a 250-foot embankment and destroyed.

Another loader was used to destroy a DOT storage shed west of the pass, and also to dump piles of dirt onto Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railroad tracks, the department said.

A third loader operated by the Stevens Pass ski area was used to pile dirt on picnic tables. The vehicle’s windows were broken.

The person or persons responsible may have been driving a pickup truck, and used bolt or chain cutters to access the loaders’ cabs and ignition systems, the department said. The vandalism occurred between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Wednesday.

The Washington State Patrol and Chelan County Sheriff’s Department were investigating.

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