CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – A well-known local business is doubling down the reward to help them solve a crime that hit too close to home. Someone stole a safe from the Shelor Motor mile three years ago and the thief has not been caught.
The reward is now $50,000 - double the value of the contents of the safe. That's how much they want to bring this case to a close. Life has gone on at the Motor Mile, but they're hoping someone will now come forward and help them solve what's basically the only open-ended crime in their 45 years in business.
On the Shelor Motor Mile in Christiansburg, they're the happiest when the cars fly off the lot. But something else went off the lot, they didn't sign on the dotted line, and it surely wasn't taken for a test spin.
Shelor office manager Ginny Hagar said three years ago, under the dark of night after close, someone came into the business center, went into the HR office, and stole a safe.
"We're a family here, we work here, we come here every day," Hagar said. "Someone came into our home, our work home. You have that violation of trust, someone coming in and stealing from us."
The safe was just larger than ones you'd find in a hotel room. It had a weekend full of sales deposits and some cheap jewelry, together valued at about $25,000.
"There's not been any convictions or really any information that has led to the case being closed, so that's what on our mind is really the violation of trust," Hagar said.
That violation of trust is worth $50,000 to Shelor in the form of a reward. It sent out a memo to employees last month informing them of the increase, up from the $20,000 initial reward offering. Shelor is willing to flat out pay double what they lost just for someone to come forward and tell the truth.
"We're a company who values our employees, values our community, it's just that violation of someone coming in and stealing from us," Hagar said.
The company didn't want to share its security details, but said things have changed in the last three years. With no signs of forced entry and few clues, life at the Motor Mile goes on, but this mystery still has even police stumped.
Hagar said that police have had suspects, and that other safes have been found, but not theirs.
The Christiansburg Police Department declined to comment for this story.