Newspaper racks destroyed in S. Lake Tahoe

   By Kathryn Reed

Vandals have caused more than $5,000 worth of damage to newspaper racks in South Lake Tahoe and Meyers.

The two culprits have been caught on video, though positive identification has yet to be made.

“Every three to five years this happens, but this is the biggest damage that has happened,” Steve Anderson, who owns South Tahoe Newspaper Agency, told Lake Tahoe News. “They have some type of bar they are using. They put it between the door and racks. It’s about 4-feet-long.”

San Francisco Chronicle and Sacramento Bee racks are being targeted. The South Lake company, which has been operating since 1961, also handles the Reno Gazette-Journal, USA Today and Wall Street Journal racks.

Anderson is collecting the money from the racks each night, so the reward hasn’t been much for the thieves.

But the loss has been big for Anderson in other ways. Each of the 13 boxes that have been destroyed costs about $400. This type of box is no longer made so he will either have to refurbish old ones or take the sales of the papers into the businesses.

The vandals on Thursday and Friday hit racks at Ernie’s, Bert’s, Getaway Café, Tahoe Keys Liquor, Rite-Aid, Red Hut at Ski Run Boulevard, and Raley’s near Stateline.

Anderson said the two are driving a blue compact vehicle, and that they are middle-aged white men. The police are analyzing the video for a better description.

Anderson is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the vandalism. Anyone with information, should call the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at 530.542.6100.