An employee of the Shell gas station in Duchesne City was arrested last week after attempting to break into the safe with a hammer. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, an officer responded to a call at about 11pm and banged on the locked door. The suspect ignored the officer at first but then came and unlocked the door to let the officer in. The officer went inside and observed that the main safe had been pulled from under the counter and had various dents and dings on it but appeared to be unbreached. Nearby was a hammer that the man, identified as 30-year-old Nathan Lance Tisdale, admitted he had been using to try and break open the safe. Tisdale then claimed that he had been instructed by the owner of the store to break open the safe and to be prepared for a new safe to be arriving in 45 minutes. He said he was suspicious of the call but that his manager also called and told him to do as he was asked. He then showed the officer his call log which did show an incoming call at 10:37pm from the manager. It was at this point that the manager arrived on scene and made it clear that neither she nor the owner had instructed Tisdale to break into the safe. She told the officer that no employees, not even the owner, have access to the safe and that it is picked up by an armored truck. She estimated the amount in the safe could be between $30,000 and $50,000 dollars. Nathan Tisdale was brought into custody and is charged with 3rd Degree Felony Theft and Property Destruction, and Misdemeanor Possession of Burglary Tools.
