The Winfield Fairground was abuzz with news Wednesday that thieves broke into several vehicles late Saturday and helped themselves to personal items owned by Walnut Valley Festival campers.
“Everybody woke up in the morning and found their vehicle had been rifled through,” said Winfield Police Patrolman Ryan Walker.
A van owned by Sharon Van Dusen of Hale, Mo. was one of three or four vehicles broken into and might have been the hardest hit. Van Dusen, a festival crafter who was planning to sell her wares for the ninth year, definitely had a strong reaction to the theft.
She lost the bulk of her handmade, shell inlay inventory and printed out fliers describing her missing items. She distributed the fliers throughout the fairground, tacking them onto tree trunks and bathroom stalls.
Among Van Dusen’s most personal items missing are a mountain dulcimer made by her husband, its padded case and chord books. A Sony Mavica digital camera was also lifted from the van. Van Dusen said it’s been difficult to face the loss of her things, but friends have showed her support.
“It (being robbed) hasn’t put me off the festival, but I have to admit there was a time when I was ready to tuck my tail and go home,” she said.
In a crowd that seems to need music almost as much as air and water, the thefts hit home and some campers could be overheard Wednesday warning friends not to leave their instruments unattended.
Soon after news of the break-ins hit, friends wanting to help Van Dusen began searching the fairground looking with flashlights and digging through trash cans. A few perused Ebay looking for stolen items that might have been posted. Some of Van Dusen’s missing property actually turned up, said officer Walker, including several necklaces and pendants.
“Some of the items were recovered under the W. Ninth bridge,” said the patrolman. “It looked like someone picked what they wanted and tossed what they didn’t want on the ground.”
Van Dusen recovered about 28 pieces that she plans to spruce up for sale at the festival. She toyed with the idea of not trying to sell anything, but festival organizers said they wanted her to participate anyway. This was the first year Van Dusen was showcasing new items including shell inlay instrument parts.
“I had high hopes for sales,” she said. “I had new pieces.”
In response to the thefts the police department has upped it’s patrols, making sure the fairground is being monitored at all times.
“Starting last night we have at least two officers down there 24-7,” said Walker.
During busier and higher traffic times more officers will be present at the fairground. Wednesday a bike patrol officer rolled through the midway. At the re-entry gate a sheriff’s office truck stood sentry, as if warning would-be thieves to beware.
In her flier, Van Dusen provided a detailed description of her missing items, including pictures of her shell inlay work. Van Dusen’s mountain dulcimer was heavily decorated with the shell inlays. Some of the decor includes unicorns, birds, stars and trees. She’s also missing inlaid chin rests for a violin and ebony veneers. Van Dusen is asking anyone who’s seen her property to call Patrolman Walker at 221-5555.
