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Police station theft remains unsolved State police are still investigating A year after someone stole more than $10,000 from the Medford police property room, the culprit is still unknown. Someone pried open the locked door of the room, which holds evidence, and pried open a locked box containing money seized from a bank robbery. The crime was discovered Jan. 9, 1998. Only Medford police officers and some city employees and volunteers had access to the room. Oregon State Police Sgt. Kurt Barthel said the OSP, which is investigating the case, has no suspect. He said the case will remain open until the statute of limitations runs out -- which will happen two years from now -- or until police develop a suspect. OSP detective Greg Wright said police have no new leads. Details of a case remain secret when an investigation is still open. Medford police chief Eric Mellgren said the case is "frustrating for everybody." He checks in pretty routinely with the state police about the investigation, and said they've spent hundreds of hours on the case. "I'm satisfied that they've done an excellent job with their work," Mellgren said. The police department took some steps to prevent another theft from occurring -- an alarm was installed, and video cameras now monitor the room at all times. Mellgren said his staff is evaluating the entire property room operation. The police chief said members of his department are bothered by the theft because it reflects badly on them. Mellgren said that if the thief is someone from his department, it's bad that a corrupt person is in the department -- but if the thief is an outsider, it shows that the public can get into the room, and "either one of those aren't acceptable." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA