Police seek help identifying man accused of breaking into stores

The Libby Police Department has released two photos of a man they are hoping to identify in connection with the March break-in at Sears and Rocky Mountain Music.

The photos were taken from surveillance video from inside the music shop. In the photos dated March 29, the man, who is wearing dark clothing and a white straw cowboy hat, is seen walking through the store and then looking at drums in the rear corner of the business.

Sgt. Terry Watson said police believe the man in the photos is the same man who broke into the stores.   

“We’re asking the public for help,” he said.

The man is believed to have spent about 20 minutes inside the store before returning sometime during the early morning hours of March 30. He allegedly broke through a wall in Sears to gain entry into Rocky Mountain Music.

Surveillance video shows that the man placed a plastic magazine holder in front of one of the building’s motion detectors the day before the crime.

Multiple cameras show the man entered Rocky Mountain Music at about 5 a.m. after using a sledgehammer to break through the wall in the neighboring Sears store.

Shortly after the man’s entrance, Sears’ employees started showing up for annual inventory and noticed that the door in the back of the showroom was open. Employees called police, but the man allegedly came out of the building and ran.

The white man, described as about 5-feet 9-inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, is believed to be in his late-30s to early-40s with short, salt-and-pepper hair.

Rocky Mountain Music owner Jerry Hersman believes the man knew the location of the business’ motion detectors. The man allegedly gave up on his first attempt to enter the store before moving to the back tool room, where he appears to have removed a shelf before blasting through drywall and cement.  

The man is not believed to have escaped with any stolen items.

The owners of Rocky Mountain Music have posted a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the crime.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department at 293-4112, ext. 0 and reference case number 14-2172.