By Sara Beth Williams–
Owners say costs continue to mount after a long-vacant building on Auburn Boulevard that now houses both FunCity Adventure Park and a planned E-Bike Outlet store was vandalized by thieves who reportedly stole $90,000 in copper wiring.
“We have only owned this building for one month at this point, and the crime we have experienced is unreal,” said Doug Stabler, who just finalized the purchase of the abandoned Studio Movie Grill building on Auburn Boulevard.
Since the vandalism occurred in the beginning of June, the Stablers have been working to expedite both repairs and justice for the major theft and vandalism of the building’s electrical system.
Stabler said both his insurance company, and the insurance company for 8525 Auburn Blvd., the portion of the building housing FunCity, have been working together. A new estimate obtained by Stabler in July indicates repairs will cost upwards of $300,000.
But damages go beyond stolen and damaged property, Stabler said, explaining that the property insurance deductible is $10,000 and that the complete loss of power delays all remodeling, and therefore delays opening up for business, which delays any revenue coming in.
Now Stabler will have to pay for expensive security measure upgrades, including a heavy-duty, 100-feet-long, nine-foot-tall gate to prevent access from the back of the building, which will cost almost $100,000.
Stabler also plans to install a heavy-duty cage around the electrical boxes, and weld metal sheets from the inside, to prevent any possibility of breaking through the vertical bars. He estimates the cost of the cage will be $30,000.
“New lights, alarm bells, cameras, motion after-dark sensors, just at the back of the building, will cost $15,000,” Stabler added. Fencing that runs along the back of the property separating the property from the freeway also needs repairs.
Stabler’s sons, Isaac and Jacob, purchased from him, and now own an ATV wholesale outlet, as well as the soon-to-be E-Bike Outlet business. Stabler owns the building and says the inventory from the ATV Wholesale Outlet store will be transferred to the new building once remodeling is complete.
While on a visit to the property, The Sentinel was also informed that fencing running along the back of a neighboring apartment complex also needs to be repaired and enhanced to prevent trespassers from accessing the back of the building.
Stabler also broke down other damages that have occurred due to smaller acts of vandalism that he reports have been happening weekly since the new owners have arrived. The new owners have had to pay for illegal dumping cleanup, removal of a dead tree, which was ripped out of the ground by vandals, removal of graffiti.
Citrus Heights Police have been in contact with both business owners, and have temporarily placed a Flock camera trailer in the parking lot, both Stabler and the owner of FunCity said.
A police sergeant confirmed at the beginning of July that the vandalism was reported on June 8 and took place sometime the weekend before. The case has been forwarded to the investigations unit and property crime detectives are currently investigating, police say.
There are no suspects.
“I am disappointed that the police did not come up with finding those who did this massive crime, Stabler said. “There are tons of cameras all around the neighborhood and there must be a way to have found these guys.”
“They are saying that they will patrol this more often, but that is not enough in all seriousness,” Stabler said, adding that a law enforcement presence in nearby Roseville has been lacking, from his observation.
Whyte Avenue, a dead-end street directly adjacent to the property to the north, is under the City of Roseville’s jurisdiction. Stabler noted that homeless individuals are observed regularly hanging out on Whyte Avenue and in an empty field behind the neighboring gas station.
Stabler would like Roseville to take ownership of the nuisances that are occurring on Whyte Avenue, and added that cleaning up the field and the dead-end road would result in a safer place that would benefit both cities in the long run.
“The purchase of this 60,000-square-foot building can be a great thing for our family, and the Citrus Heights community, if we do not get completely robbed blind, and have to sell and not move in,” Stabler said.
Since the vandalism, FunCity Adventure Park has since been able to open with the help of generators. The new electric bike outlet store anticipates being ready to open in 2027.
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