The Ballard Burglary That Left a Trail
A botched break-in at a Ballard hardware store left behind the tools of the trade, complete with the thief's initials.
One or more burglars made a persistent attempt to break into J. B. Sanborn’s hardware store on Ballard Avenue, Ballard, some time Friday. In the morning, Mr. Sanborn found a sledgehammer with John Beatty’s initials stamped on the hammer, and a brace with J. A. P.’s name on the handle. The burglars succeeded in breaking into a shed and almost succeeded in gaining entrance to the main store, when some noise must have alarmed them. Mr. Beatty said the sledgehammer and brace had been stolen from his blacksmith shop on Second Avenue.
“The burglars succeeded in breaking into a shed and almost succeeded in gaining entrance to the main store, when some noise must have alarmed them.”
Ballard was a separate town from Seattle in 1895, known for its independent industrial spirit. Today, the area remains a hub of local commerce, though the blacksmith shops and hardware stores of the 19th century have long since given way to modern retail and residential development.
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