Vendor reports thousands of dollars in stolen products at Alaska State Fair

Just after 4 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 15th, two men were captured on security camera inside Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds. Each held a large sack in their right hand.

“Someone breached security in the Raven Hall sometime during the night after they closed after it was locked up,” said Dean Phipps, Director of Marketing and Communications.

The same day a medical cannabis business with a booth inside Raven Hall says its CBD products, which can cost $220 a bottle, were all taken.

“They definitely got the high dollar product for sure,” said Lori Brandt with Releaf Alaska.

Brandt puts the value of stolen items at over $100,000, a claim Phipps says is unsubstantiated.

“That’s kind of up in the air as to how much,” said Phipps.

The Alaska State Fair says the case has been handed over to the Palmer Police Department and says the security camera video may have already identified the suspects.

“I wouldn’t really call that a rash, I wouldn’t say it’s typical I can’t remember there being a break-in at Raven Hall. This appears to be perhaps an inside job, they’re still investigating,” said Phipps.

The day before the start of the Alaska State Fair, a separate vendor, “What-A-Bargain,” claimed $5,000 in knives, pipes and other items had been taken through a cut in their tent.

“I would like to have more cameras around the whole fair area, that would be nice,” said owner Carolina Angel.

Phipps says six “rovers” patrol fair grounds all night and many are former police officers, “They really do know what they’re doing.”

The Alaska State Fair says it encourages vendors insure the items they sell. Releaf Alaska says it had to buy more product for the last days of the fair and is offering a $1,000 for information that leads to a conviction.