MERIDIAN, Idaho — Multiple firework stands have been targeted and stolen from over the past few days. We spoke to the Ransom Family, who owns the stand at Eagle and McMillan Rd. They tell us more than $14,000 in product was stolen. Now they’re worried this may be the first time in 15 years they might not break even in sales.
- If you know of, or have seen anything that could help these investigations, reach out to your local law enforcement's non-emergency line. Ada County Sheriff's Office: (208) 577-3000.
- Local owners encourage people to stick to the stands and stay away from online sales.
- Browse some local TNT firework stands here.
(Broadcast transcript)
“You’re not stealing from TNT, you’re stealing from families and charities. That’s who you’re hurting… sorry, I’m getting teary-eyed,” said Meridian local Kristen Ransom. She started selling fireworks 15 summers ago with her husband Jamie when he decided to go back to school.
“We worked really hard, [selling] our fireworks to pay for college, for him and it paid for his college. Then it paid for the adoption of our daughter," said Ransom.
Tuesday morning, they arrived at their firework stand in the Albertsons parking lot on Eagle Rd, to find their storage box broken into.
"The lock that we had was supposed to be bolt cutter proof... so whoever broke in would have had to bring a grinder to grind through the lock. They stole several boxes of our product," said Ransom.
Worth thousands of dollars…
“Stealing $14,000 worth of fireworks and product I don’t know what you do with that and so it’s concerning just for our neighborhood,” said Ransom.
While this stand only carries safe, sane and legal products… The Ransom family is concerned with how much was stolen.
“I’m thinking about people taking those fireworks, possibly into the foothills into the mountains and going through that many,” said Ransom.
Other stands across the valley were also targeted, and owners face thousands of dollars in losses. Barrett Smith owns two stands, one on Meridian Rd and the other in Eagle, which was robbed just days ago. He says he's taken extra security precautions and just wants families to enjoy the holiday.
“We usually talk to the customers and ask how old they are, so if there are sparklers we have a couple different kinds depending on their age just to make them safer.” said Smith.
Each Ada County firework stand is inspected by fire officials each years, so these local owners encourage people to stick tot he stands and stay away from online sales.
“Staying away from purchasing fireworks on [Facebook] market place, Craigslist, or any that are being sold out of a back of a truck… that sort of thing,” said Ransom.
