T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY - Personnel from the Marshalltown Police Department and its Crime Scene unit were on the scene of a reported break-in at Odds & Ends and Wax Xtatic Record Audio Stereo store in the 100 block of West Main Street Monday.

Thieves broke down a heavily-secured backdoor leading into the Odds & Ends and Wax-Static Record Audio and Stereo businesses in the 100 block of West Main Street Sunday night, according to business co-owner John Blabaum.

The business sells thousands of new and used 33’s, 45’s and 78’s, plus phonographs, turntables and other accessories.

“They knew what they were doing … going into places we don’t show people,” he said. “The thieves went for security cameras first and then took several thousand dollars of inventory while trashing other parts of the store. This was not a ‘smash and grab,’ they moved items out.”

Marshalltown police and a crime scene technician were on scene Monday for several hours, Blabaum said. He discovered the break-in Monday at 10:30 a.m. while preparing to open.

“I am really down,” he said. “This is the second break-in in six months. Someone entered through a garage and rifled the place six, seven months ago looking for money but did not steal any property. I am angry. You work hard and these kind of people take it from you. This time they stole all kinds of property … but still looking for money.”

The businessman said he has complained to the city several times about the dark back alley behind the store.

“We have had no streetlights back there since lights were knocked out by the July 2018 tornado,” he said. “Downtown is dark … I walked people home from a bar the other night … ladies from our Vinyl night at Fiddle & Whistle, I walked them to their cars it is so dark down here.”

It’s unclear whether fixing those lights is the responsibility of Alliant Energy or the city. Marshalltown Public Works Director Justin Nickel said he would look into the matter.

Co-owner Warren Woken began Odds & Ends in 2002. Then in 2014, Blabaum approached him about doing a side business that would focus on music, while Warren sold vintage and modern gaming systems and cartridges. In April of 2018, the pair moved the store to its current spot (next door to the old location).

“We have people just come and hang out and listen to music for hours,” Blabaum said.

He said young customers are often shocked that the tunes humming out through the store’s speakers come from a record player in the center of the store.

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com