PORT ANGELES — Renaissance owner and massage therapist Lynn Keenan, who runs a downtown cafe-wellness center, was muting an unwell urge Thursday.
Keenan, 57, wanted revenge.
Her 8-year-old business near Haynes Viewpoint Park on Front Street was broken into between Monday night and Tuesday morning, Deputy Police Chief Brian Smith said Thursday.
Keenan said Thursday the intruder — or intruders — stole about $1,700 in cash.
But they also took a $3,000 wedding ring Keenan had stashed away in her desk.
That hurt the most, and not just because of the jewelry’s sentimental value (it symbolized a 10-year marriage to her partner).
Because her desk was pilfered, Keenan was left with the stomach-dropping suspicion that her private space was violated by someone she knows.
“There’s a sense of betrayal,” Keenan said Thursday.
Keenan’s 401 E. Front St. cafe is a former Puget Sound Pilots Association captain’s house with a sweeping view of Port Angeles Harbor from the deck.
From that perch, customers eat local cheese and bread. They drink local wine and beer.
Downstairs, massage-room havens await the world-weary.
But the building was vulnerable to attack, Smith said. Someone entered by removing a screen and dowel from a window.
He said it was the only downtown burglary since Dec. 20, but among 12 reported in the city since then. Six downtown stores were burglarized in 24 hours in early December.
“It’s a lesson for all of us,” Smith said.
If a building has a vulnerability that can be exploited, burglars can take advantage of it, he said.
By Thursday afternoon, Keenan said she had already tightened the access the window provided.
But her emotions remained raw.
“I feel a desire for revenge, but I’m approaching this logically,” she said as she sat at one of the cafe’s wooden tables.
“I’ve been purposive about trying to stay positive.
“I don’t want to drain any more away from this than it already has.
“I don’t want to lower myself to that space.”
A ring similar to Keenan’s is posted on the business’ Facebook page.
Keenan would take the ring off during massage sessions.
She left it in her desk Monday before she rushed out to see a movie.
Keenan said she hopes whoever stole the ring does the right thing by returning it.
They could mail it to the police or the Peninsula Daily News, she suggested.
A pawn shop is not the way to go, she suggested.
“I swear they won’t get what it’s worth,” she said.
Officer Mike Johnson will be checking a statewide database into which pawn shops, by law, must enter transactions.
They also check online sites such as eBay and www.amazon.com.
“There are no hard suspects at this time,” Johnson said.
“However, officers do have some leads and some information they can look into.”
Keenan said regret may eat away at whoever stole the ring.
“I don’t want the feeling of regret and anger to eat away at me,” Keenan said.
“I want to be positive, realistic and wily.”
Anyone with knowledge of the break-in should call 360-452-4545 and can call North Olympic Crimestoppers anonymously at 800-222-8477.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
