Thief targets antique pistol at Sultan Visitor Information Center

Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce Director Debbie Copple was looking forward to spending the holiday weekend with her family, but instead ended up cleaning piles of broken glass after a thief broke into the Sultan Visitor Information Center (VIC) to steal an antique gun.

The theft occurred at 11:39 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, and was captured by VIC surveillance cameras. The perpetrator threw a rock, smashing the glass in the front door. Once inside, they shattered the glass in a display case near the entryway and stole a historic Smith & Wesson .38 Special. The security footage was given to Snohomish County Sheriff's deputies, who are investigating the incident.

"There was six inches of glass everywhere,GÇ¥ Copple said.

The firearm had little to no monetary value, she said, but was of historical significance to the city of Sultan. The firing pin had been removed, so the weapon wasn't functional. The inside of the visitor center is decorated with historical remnants from Sultan's history, including photos and other artifacts, but the thief was clearly interested in only one thing, the chamber director said.-á

"We're lucky in that the gun was obviously all they wanted,GÇ¥ Copple said. "Nothing else was taken.GÇ¥

Copple received some help from Sky Valley Home Repair and Maintenance owner Bill Pichon, who covered the door with plywood and helped clean up the glass.

The Sultan Visitor Information Center is at 320 Main St., which is directly across the street from Sultan City Hall. The building was purchased by the city in 2004 with a $370,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation, for the express purpose of creating a tourism center. The VIC was officially opened during the city's centennial in 2005, and has been home to the Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce ever since.-á -á

The building is also known as the Percy Z. Brewster Building, commemorating the only law enforcement officer ever to die in the line of duty in Sultan. Brewster was shot and killed by a bank robber in 1927, near where the VIC stands today.

Sultan residents who noticed anything unusual around Fourth and Main streets on Friday night are being asked to contact the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office at 360-793-1051. The case number is 2015-10595. The Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce is offering a $100 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect and return of the gun.