Housatonic—At Aberdale’s, if you say you want “smokes,” they know what kind you want. If you say you’ll have “a pint,” they don’t need to ask you whether it’s Bacardi or Jim Beam.
Crime is limited to the occasional child swiping a lollipop in this neighborhood store that has been on Depot Street for more than 50 years, and specializes in liquor, wine and beer, but also sells sundries, ice cream, and has a small lunch counter for hot dogs or pizza.
But small town trust was broken this week when a crouching thief slipped in through the front door and snatched a donation bucket that probably had about $1,000 in it.
The store’s video recorder had a wider lens than the criminal may have anticipated, however, and the crime was caught on tape. Great Barrington police have seen it, according to the store manager, who declined to be identified for this story.
A 5-gallon empty plastic Polar Springs water jug filled with cash intended for “Warm the Children,” a fundraiser sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Sheffield, and a 6-year-long tradition at Aberdale’s, was stolen on Wednesday night (May 13) at around 8:45 p.m. when owner Joe Aberdale was doing paperwork at the lunch counter, which does not have a direct view of the door. The thief, thought to be a white male, fled with the jug down the alley next to the store.
“It’s Housy and it’s not supposed to happen here,” said Aberdale, whose parents started the store in a nearby building in 1961. Back then it was a pharmacy that also sold food, sundries and sporting goods, and later moved to the new location at 10 Depot Street.
“People are disturbed,” Aberdale added about the incident. He said that while police have seen the video, there’s not much they can do but follow up on leads. He said he would put another jug in its place and “secure it.”
It was disturbing enough that Channel 10 News out of Albany came to town and ran the story Thursday night (May 14).
All “Warm the Children” donations for the fundraiser go directly to children in South Berkshire County who may be without warm winter clothing and shoes. The money is used to take children shopping for what they need. Aberdale’s has collected increasingly more for the program every year; in the last two years the store has given the program over $2,000. Now new donations have come in since the theft; Aberdale said someone handed him a check for $100 after learning what happened.
The manager added that most of the time customers want to chat with her when they enter the busy store, and that it is such a friendly atmosphere that they would never have anticipated needing to watch the door at all times. An automatic doorbell signals each customer as they enter.
“The same people come here day after day,” she added. “You have your suspicions, but there’s no basis for it. Ninety-nine percent are your good honest, hard-working people.”
Comments about the incident on Aberdale’s Facebook page indicated community outrage. “How low can you go?” said one. “What a scumbag,” said another.
At least a few commenters suggested that the theft might be drug-related. “Police need to focus more on the losers walking around town day after day with backpacks that they know damn well are full of drugs because they have been busted before. This area is a complete disgrace…”
“What will suffer are the children,” Aberdale said. “But we’ll make it up one way or another.”
Please call the Great Barrington Police Department at 413-528-0306 if you have information about the crime.
