In the early-morning hours of Wednesday, Jan. 16, Tom Rowell arrived at his store, the Riverside Convenience Store, to discover something unexpected.
The door was broken in and glass was everywhere.
He called the Montezuma County Sheriff's Department.
Someone had broken into his Dolores store sometime early Wednesday morning, before 5 a.m., or late Tuesday night. When Rowell arrived that morning he discovered the break-in.
"It was pretty much a mess," Rowell said. "The heaters were on full-blast and it was freezing in here."
It is difficult to say how long the heat escaped out into the frigid night.
Montezuma County Sheriff Lt. Ted Meador said the case is actively being investigated and there are currently no suspects.
Lottery tickets, cigarettes and chewing tobacco was all that was taken from the store.
Rowell said on Wednesday, after sweeping up glass, that it could have been a lot worse.
"I don't think they were here very long, something might have scared them off," Rowell said.
Meador said it appeared that the door may have been kicked in, because no rocks or other objects were found.
"We are following up on leads," Meador said.
