State Republican Party headquarters suffers two burglaries in late 2021
Mar. 24—CONCORD — The state Republican Party headquarters in Concord has been a tempting target for burglars, who twice broke in, once after the door to the main entrance failed to latch, allowing the burglar to just walk in, according to police reports.
The forays took place in separate, apparently unrelated burglaries in November and December.
Burglars got power tools, a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey, cigars, a laptop belonging to the Republican National Committee and a poster of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
"I don't know if it was targeted at all," said Joseph Sweeney, who was executive director for the New Hampshire GOP at the time of the break-in. "They see a building where there was activity during the day, and they find a way to enter it."
Railroad tracks run behind the party headquarters, the fence around the tracks is deteriorated, and a set of stairs lead from the tracks to the building's parking lot, Sweeney said.
Last week, a Merrimack County grand jury handed up a burglary indictment against Miles A. Anderson, 32, of Concord. Although he's charged with burglarizing the office, the door opened when he tried it, according to police reports.
Sweeney said the door was damaged from a November burglary and often wouldn't close properly.
"If it wasn't slammed shut, you could just push it and it would open," he said.
Concord police quickly nabbed Anderson who was caught with the only thing missing — a New Hampshire Fisher Cats 603 tour sign. Anderson has other charges pending, including possession of methamphetamine, and his lawyer has asked a judge to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
Meanwhile, Kevin McFetridge, 20, faces charges of burglarizing the headquarters in November.
McFetridge, who is reportedly homeless, has an arrest record that includes charges of theft, possession of stolen property and drugs.
He was released on bail after the November burglary but later arrested and charged with a January burglary, according to court records.
Sweeney said the November burglar used a knife to jimmy the lock. Inside, the burglar visited every office, Sweeney said.
At one point, he found Sweeney's personal property — two lenses for a DSLR camera, valued at about $1,200 together — but passed on them.
Sweeney said the laptop had only field information from the 2020 election and wouldn't have provided a trove of information if it fell into Democratic Party hands.
He said the entrance door, located on the side of the building, has since been repaired.
