Thousands Of Dollars In Merchandise, 1,000-Pound Safe Stolen From Auburn Store

AUBURN (CBS13) - A man says his entire life's work has been stolen from his Auburn collector's store after three break-ins in less than two months.

Thieves made off with $80,000 worth of goods and a 1,000-pound safe.

The mess is still visible in the back area of the store where a temporary door and a deadbolt are lying on the ground. The burglars came through the back door twice. Most recently, thieves went through the front door.

"It's taking my life, my livelihood," said Sid Raich, Sirius Stamps N Treasures owner.

Robbed three times in the past two months, Raich appears defeated.

"The stuff that I have is an accumulation of 33 years in the business," he said.

For close to half his life, he's been building up his collection. Now, almost all the valuable items now gone.

"It would be almost impossible for me to replace it," said Raich.

The first time he was robbed, the thieves attempted to take his safe.

"They tried to blow torch it and pound it with a pallet," said Raich.

It wasn't until the second break-in that they were able to do it.

"I don't know how they did it because it's a 1,000-pound safe," Raich said.

He says the safe had more sentimental items than anything worth much value.

"They figure I'm an easy target and I have a lot of stuff," he said.

Raich thinks he knows the people who are stealing from him, or he's at least seen them inside his store.

"The way the stuff was taken and where it was retrieved from," Raich said of the clues.

The owner of the building says he feels sympathy for what keeps happening to Raich.

"This man has been trying to make a living and he's having a hard time. They keep on tearing him apart," building owner Ralph Roper said.

Now for Raich, it's a part of his life he may never be able to replace.

"We're afraid. We really are," said Roper.

The back area is just a temporary fix. The owner says he plans on putting a steel door back and putting steel bars on the front door.

At this time, Auburn police say they don't know if all three of the break-ins are connected.