Crime Comes to Small Town ND: Break-Ins Suspected to be Drug-Related

A normally quiet town in Grand Forks County, now the target of multiple break-ins.

The Thompson Police Department says both homes were likely the target of people looking for prescription drugs.

The Thompson Police Department was resurrected 10 months ago, and in that time, these are the only two break-ins in town.
 
“Thompson’s a pretty quiet community,” says local resident Tim Sivertson. “There’s not a lot of criminal activity, I guess.”
 
Well, that’s changing a little in Thompson, North Dakota.

Two home break-ins in the last month, under unusual circumstances.
 
“Don’t seem to find anything that’s been missing in the house,” explains Thompson Police Officer Jeff Osvold.
 
Break-ins with nothing stolen?

That leads Thompson’s only police officer to one conclusion.
 
Osvold theorizes that, “the goal of the intruders to maybe look for unsecure medications in the residence and make a quick getaway.”
 
The threat of drug thefts is enough for people in this sleepy town to take notice.
 
“There’s always concern,” adds Sivertson. “The issue of safety is always a concern for anybody.”
 
Break-ins like this just don’t happen very often in Thompson, so when something like this does happen, it’s noteworthy.

But police are asking the public to do a few things to ensure incidents like this don’t become commonplace.
 
“Be vigilant about where their medications are.,” Osvold asks. “They need to make sure that they’re locked up and secured at all times and not just sitting loose on a cabinet or in an unsecured cupboard.”
 
Locals like Sivertson say they keep their homes locked.

But he says if someone really wants his prescriptions, they could probably get them.
 
“Not laying around on the counter for anything, but we don’t have a lock box or anything,” he admits. “So they are accessible. It’s just an issue or rather or not somebody’s willing to break in the house to access them.”
 
Osvold says neighboring communities are also dealing with break-ins, presumably drug-related.

But he says the suspect or suspects don’t pose an immediate danger to the public.
 
If you’re in the Thompson area and have prescription drugs that you want to get rid of, Osvold recommends you take them to the drug take back box at the Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office.