POINT ARENA, CA., 8/16/26 — On the evening of August 3, Point Arena’s wastewater treatment plant, which also served as equipment storage for the city, was broken into.
The perpetrators made off with a number of the city’s maintenance tools, including chain saws, weed whackers, extension blades and socket sets. The thieves most likely slipped through a break in the plant’s fence and broke a window to gain access to the building.
The perpetrators also siphoned fuel from the city’s vehicles. When Patrick Hillscan, operator in training at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, tried to start the city’s Ford Ranger the morning after the robbery, he discovered the truck’s fuel lines had been tampered with. As a result, the city was unable to pick up trash from its trash cans that day.
It was first estimated that $4,000 worth of tools was stolen, but later Point Arena City Manager Molly Haviland calculated that the damage was actually around $14,000, after factoring repair costs to the city’s property and vehicles. The sum is “significant,” to use Haviland’s word, for a city whose general fund stands at $30,000.
Initially acquiring these tools, which were relatively new, came at no small cost to the city as well. Most were purchased a year and a half ago, at a time when the city was just emerging from bankruptcy. The purchase was a big decision for the struggling city, but was approved in the interest of maintaining Point Arena and its staff’s well-being.
“Our staff needed equipment that was safe and that worked,” recalled Haviland. “We made that investment so that our staff could do the work that they need to do in a safe way. Now it’s not there anymore. It’s really sad.”
Though the city’s general fund will have to cover critical items needed immediately, Haviland is looking into grants for some relief. She hopes a grant from the California Intergovernmental Risk Authority might cover a majority of the stolen equipment’s cost, but she laments that these grants could have been put towards city operations and projects instead of replacing the stolen tools and making repairs.
“That money could have been used for other things that we were attending to, so it’s unfortunate that now we have to spend money that we already spent,” said Haviland.
Two potential items on the wish-list, one of which would have come in very handy: increased security camera surveillance on city properties as well as tractor repairs.
City authorities are also considering saving money by prioritizing function rather than direct replacement. Creative solutions include covering the broken window with a metal sign rather than installing a new glass pane.
As of now, investigation into the burglary has been slow. Though Point Arena has opened a case with the sheriff, the police have yet to visit the scene of the crime. Their delayed response demonstrates how vulnerable south coast areas like Point Arena are to property crimes. It also is a reflection of the county’s thinning resources.
In a July 21 Board of Supervisors meeting, Sheriff Matthew Kendall requested a little over a million dollars to fund empty positions in the sheriff’s office. About a third of the department’s positions are vacant, with an additional eight personnel absent due to injuries.
“We need to get these positions refunded…we are still about 33% behind on being able to pay for that,” said Kendall.
“We’re stretched very thin,” said Jason Caudillo, administrative captain of the sheriff’s office.
The coast could still remain underserved. In the same meeting, Caudillo mentioned that they hope to use the new hires in the Ukiah area, where they receive most of their calls for service. Prioritizing larger cities means that the rural coast might not benefit much from increased department numbers — if that even happens.
“The reality for us out here is that the police may not come for several hours, if at all,” said Haviland.
“How do we work to take care of ourselves and each other in this particular situation?…For me right now, that’s not entirely clear,” Haviland said. “I don’t have a clear path forward on that other than to encourage community members to keep our eyes open, engage people kindly, right?…and then obviously documenting any suspicious activity to the best of one’s ability and reporting that.”
From what I have gleaned from the information is their is multiple perpetrators in the waste water treatment plant. The criminals are familiar with the place. It seems they had a good idea that I he equipment was there. It points to local younger men. These crimes won’t stop. You must asses any other business that would yield a good amount of loot. If they hit that waste plant they will target business with very low traffic. Remote areas like the waste plant. Possibling they were cash strapped and knew about the purchases. Check pawn shops by calling and having them try to identify items stolen. I would check pawn shops in bordering counties. It is a very unfortunate situation and I love the people of Point Arena and Manchester. I lived there in 2003-2004.
I was suspecting the same. People who are familiar with the plant are the most likely suspects.