Sequim Police are investigating the attempted theft of a KSQM generator yesterday that if successful could have knocked Sequim’s community radio station off the air.

Program Director Al Brady says he discovered the attempted theft as he drove by the generator on his way into the station yesterday. He says it’s the second time thieves tried unsuccessfully to steal the generator by cutting out a portion of the security fence surrounding the generator.

“They cut away the fencing to try to take some of the equipment out – the generator – and it was unsuccessful because it is literally bolted to some piping. ”Last night they went back to try to re-vandalize our studio to transmitter link setup and that’s when we found the cut pair of plyers or cutters.  We found some evidence of tempering with trying to get to that equipment. And we also found that they had tried to cover up a camera with a towel not knowing that there are other cameras that they’re going to have the deal with because they’re hidden.”

Brady says a number of other business in the Sequim Village plaza where KSQM’s studios are located also reported evidence of vandalism.

“Yesterday I heard from one of the occupants of some of the stores that there had been vandalism on the roof. They went up on the roof. They cut certain wiring and cabling which does effect some of the things here in the building. So we knew they were probably after something.”

Brady notes KSQM is federally licensed to operate by the FCC and is designated as Sequim’s emergency alert radio station – which could raise the possibility any attempt to knock the station off the air is a federal crime.

According to the Department of Justice it can be a federal crime, though whether federal charges apply depends on the station's role in emergency communications and who owns the property. Even when federal prosecutors do not step in, stealing a generator to knock a station off the air is always a serious state-level felony (such as grand theft, burglary, and criminal mischief).

IMAGE: AI generated