
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 21, 1995                   TAG: 9501240048
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Short

DAMAGE HEAVY TO BURGLARIZED ANTIQUES STORE IN PULASKI

Town police are investigating a burglary at a Main Street antiques shop where property worth $15,000 was stolen and more than $30,000 in damage was done to the store.

Someone broke into Fernewood Antiques between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning by forcing open a rear door, said Vanessa Hill, a Police Department spokeswoman.

Fernewood Antiques opened late last year below Le Cafe Coffee and Tea Shoppe.

An antique German semiautomatic pistol valued at $3,000 was one of the items stolen, Hill said.

There was also extreme property damage - between $30,000 to $50,000 - to antique cabinets and other items in the store, police said. Also stolen was $300 in cash, Hill said.

Police are investigating whether the burglary is connected to a possible breaking-and-entering at Theda's Photography Studio, another Main Street business which is west of the antique store, Hill said.

Nothing was taken from the studio, but police found a blue book bag nearby with what appears to be a wine bottle. As in the Fernewood burglary, Theda's rear door had been forced open, possibly with a foot, Hill said.

Fernewood Antiques in owned by Timothy S. LaValley. In November - before opening the store - he said Most of his antique furniture and accessories are from the 1750 to 1850 period.

by CNB