YREKA, Calif. -- Thieves broke into a Siskiyou County Courthouse display case Wednesday and made off with about $3 million in historic gold nuggets.
The collection is a sampling of nearly all the mines in the county. The estimated value was provided by Siskiyou County Treasurer Wayne Hammer, but the total specific value is being calculated. As of Wednesday afternoon, gold was valued at more than $1,740 an ounce.
"The (Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department) is aggressively pursuing investigative leads in this case," said Sheriff Jon Lopey in a written statement.
"These thieves not only stole valuable gold that belongs to the people of Siskiyou County, but these individuals violated the security and sanctity of our courthouse and stole a piece of our Siskiyou County history."
Sheriff's department public information officer Allison Giannini said Yreka police, the sheriff's department and the California Department of Justice are still going over the crime scene.
"The entire collection isn't gone, but a large portion of it is," Giannini said. "Definitely the larger pieces were taken."
The Yreka Police Department first responded to a call about the theft just after 7 a.m. Courthouse surveillance footage shows two adult males breaking in through the rear of the building, possibly through a window, at about 1 a.m. A description of the males or the possible vehicle they drove was not available. No alarm sounded during the break-in. Whether it had been disconnected prior to the incident or malfunctioned is still under investigation.
Police have been in touch with numerous pawn shops, jewelry stores and other businesses in the region who buy gold to be on the lookout for the stolen nuggets.
Claudia East, board vice president for the Siskiyou County Historical Society, said the county's Board of Supervisors had accumulated the nuggets over time through purchases and donations.
The collection had been displayed at the 1939 World's Fair in San Francisco, according to East's blog.
The county has a history steeped in gold mining. A statue at the entrance to Yreka's Historic District shows a miner panning for gold.
"Many people don't really realize we had as much gold, in value, as the Sierras. It hasn't been lauded in the same way," East said. "Having those different pieces of gold that came from different mines at different times really was the only visible testament."
East added that when tourists came to town wanting to learn about area history, they would often be directed to the courthouse to see the gold collection.
"It really takes a big chunk out of our history for others to see," East said. "I just think it's a real loss for the people of the county."
People with information about the theft are asked to call the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department at 541-841-2900.
Copyright 2012 - Mail Tribune, Medford, Ore.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
