Goshen business loses an estimated $30,000 in tools after burglary

GOSHEN, Ind. -- A Michiana businessman says he may need to close his store after a burglar broke in over the weekend. 

Eighteen years ago, Mark Barton opened BMS Automotive. 

“I enjoy the automotive business more than anything,” said Barton. “Anything to do with cars, things with wheels, you know, that’s my, that’s my thing.”

Barton and his apprentice, Jeremy Best, work tirelessly to solve the Goshen community’s car troubles. 

“I want to work on mom and dad’s car,” said Barton. “I want to do a great job that they can afford.” 

But the duo is now dealing with a problem they don’t know how to fix. 

“Sunday, Mark calls me and is like, ‘Man somebody broke into the shop,’” said Best. 

Barton says he stopped at the shop Sunday morning after a long vacation and noticed some cash missing from his office. 

“As I started to look around my office, I woke up more or less and realized that my office had basically been turned inside out,” said Barton. 

“I felt like, man this is just terrible,” said Best. 

Goshen Police say a burglar ransacked the garage sometime between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. 

“They took basically everything that we needed to do our jobs effectively,” said Barton. “I don’t even know if it’s a proper analogy to say it, I just feel, it’s more than just a building being violated. It’s, you know, I feel like personally, you know myself, my body, everything I stand for.” 

Barton and Best believe the suspect, or suspects, pushed up a window in the back of the garage, climbed through it to get inside and clipped a deadbolt on a door which opened it up and allowed them to take an estimated $30,000 in tools. 

“I’m taking a hit to serve the community and I want to do good things and I’m repaid by, you know, this. It makes me sick,” said Barton. 

The cost of replacing the missing welding equipment, air tools, plasma cutter, laptops, and more is not covered under the shop’s insurance policy. Re-buying it all at once could force BMS Automotive isn’t an option either. 

“It could literally put us out of business,” said Barton. “If I had to replace this stuff now, today on the drop of a hat, it would basically zero our bank account out and cause other chaos and havoc.” 

Barton and Best say they’ll try not to let that happen. 

They plan to buy enough tools to get by. The community has donated some equipment over the last few days as well. 

“It’s not in my nature to give up and I won’t do that,” said Barton. 

Barton says it’s important they keep repairing cars for the community they deeply care about. He’s asking community members to keep an eye out for the missing items at local pawn shops. 

“I will figure it out,” said Barton. “I’m pretty good at detective work. I have to do this every day. I have to figure out what problem originated to create the problem that I’m dealing with on these vehicles. I certainly hope it was worth your while because I’m going to do my best to make sure it was not.” 

Anyone with information related to this crime is asked to contact Goshen Police at (574)533-8661.