taken in break-in

YADKINVILLE -- An estimated $75,000 of property was stolen from McBride Enterprises on West Maple Street sometime over the weekend.

The building had served as a race car shop and garage for a number of cars sponsored and built by the company. Owner Derek McBride said employees from Rayco Safety next door noticed some unusual items in a field between the building and the road Monday morning and notified McBride.

When he arrived he noticed that someone had broken inside. "I came and saw that the side of the building had been cut," McBride said Monday. "They cut the metal out of the corner of the building and somehow came in through the wall. I came in here this morning and opened the doors and started noticing stuff missing."

McBride said the location had been used to build race cars for the last three years, but it had not been used by a race team for the past several months. The garage has housed NASCAR Dash cars, modified and late model cars.

McBride said the main items he and his workers noticed missing were two V-6 racing engines, an ATV, a go-kart, several portable air compressors, welders and a rifle. He estimates that each engine weighs more than 2,500 pounds and is worth more than $30,000.

"We're looking at probably $75,000 worth of stuff missing and that is just a glance," McBride said. "Every time somebody comes in here they keep seeing something different that is missing. There is a lot of stuff they didn't take but every time we turn around there is more stuff (noticed that is) missing."

Det. Patrick Long of the Yadkinville Police was at the scene with Chief Tim Parks Monday afternoon looking for clues. Long said the specific items stolen lead authorities to believe the theives had knowledge of their target.

"I think they knew what they were looking for," Long said. "Most of the items that were taken are items that are not typically taken during a break-in. They are all specialty items specific to racing with the exception of the hand tools and air compressors. The engines have no purpose for street use, and from what they are telling me, they are race engines that you can't just throw it into a car and start using."

Long said the suspects used the shop's own engine lift to steal the racing engines. He said because of the weight and size of the items stolen it is apparent the suspects were on the scene for an extended period of time.

"It's kind of hard to say if they did it all at once or they had to come back two or three times," Long said. "I think it would be pretty evident that they would have some sort of large vehicle just by the volume and weight of the things that were stolen. This was not a 'break-in, grab what you can and leave. They were here for a good amount of time, and it appears they had help."

Long said the department had found evidence on the scene and will be exploring those possibilities through the rest of the week.

If anyone has any information concerning the break-in or whereabouts of the property in question, please contact Yadkin County Crime Stoppers at 679-2366 or the Yadkinville Police Department at 679-2863.