A North Grand Street man was arrested Wednesday on charges that he smashed a window at the Best Western—then called friends and told them to join him inside.
Best Western owner Mohammad Jan was inside at the time of the break-in.
Mr. Jan said his security cameras show Zackary Smith breaking a window at the rear of the hotel—under renovation since last summer—calling someone to tell them “There’s no one here, come on over,” and being tackled by police.
Both the Cobleskill Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office responded to the call.
Cobleskill Police Chief Jim McCrum said Mr. Smith was charged with criminal mischief and resisting arrest.
He’s due back in Cobleskill Court Tuesday.
According to Chief McCrum, Mr. Smith attempted to get into the building trying to pry open one of the metal doors.
When that was unsuccessful, he allegedly threw a rock through a plate glass window at the rear of the hotel.
“And the owner happened to be inside,” Chief McCrum said.
“He tried his best,” Mr. Jan said Saturday of the late-night incident last Tuesday into Wednesday.
“I was there and we heard him and it’s all on camera. I called the police. He didn’t know we were there.”
Mr. Jan said he heard Mr. Smith calling someone on his phone, telling him the hotel was empty and to come on over, but that he fled once he realized he was wrong.
Mr. Jan took ownership of the former Best Western last May with plans to bring its rooms, banquet hall, pool, and bowling alley back.
Crews have been working steadily since with their first task cleaning up years’ worth of broken glass inches deep in the hotel’s hallways.
All of the exterior windows have been replaced and interior leaks—thieves ripped out all of the copper lines—have been located and repaired, Mr. Jan said.
He’s hoping to reopen the hotel in the next year.
“Everyone I’ve met, everyone I’ve talked to, they have such fond memories of that hotel,” he said.
“We want people to know how hard we’re working to bring it back—for the town. It will just take some time, but things like this don’t help.”
Mr. Jan said there have been other break-ins—those times the thieves took workmen’s tools—and they now have 24-hour security, including the cameras.
Chief McCrum said he and officers have walked the property to get an idea of the layout and as a way to hopefully help prevent other break-ins.
“He’s already put a lot of money into that place,” he said. “I feel his frustration.”