Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A July break-in and robbery at Horizons Specialized Services continues to puzzle authorities and hamper the work of the not-for-profit agency.

Although detectives assigned to the case have found what Assistant Police Chief Art Fiebing described as "a variety of different kinds of helpful evidence," they have not yet made any arrests.

Among the items stolen from the center were a camcorder belonging to a client of Horizons and a television/videocassette recorder unit. In addition, the center sustained about $600 worth of damage to doors and windows.

In all, the thieves broke two doors, a window and a filing cabinet in addition to making off with the stolen goods. They also grabbed the keys to the center's gold 1998 Dodge Caravan and drove off. The van was found undamaged two days later.

Horizon's director of administration, Lynne Cleveland-Swanson, lamented the financial burden to the agency of having to pay the insurance deductibles for the loss.

"To pay the insurance deductibles related to the break-in at our office and the theft of our van, we will have to take funds from other programs," she wrote in a statement. "Horizons is already struggling to provide funding for existing programs."

Besides the financial loss, Cleveland-Swanson said, the break-in also has taken a psychological toll.

"Many of us feel apprehensive when the office is unattended, which has led to a sense of vulnerability," she wrote. "Everyone here has been affected. We still can't believe something like this could happen in our small community."

Horizons, located at 405 Oak St., was created in 1975 to provide support for developmentally disabled people. It serves five counties in northwest Colorado and has administrative offices in Steamboat.

To reach Avi Salzman call 871-4203 or e-mail asalzman@amigo.net