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Nevada County deputy reunites snowboard with owner after January theft at California resort

Deputy Damian Norden is pictured in an undated photo with the owner of a snowboard, which was stolen in January at Boreal Mountain ski resort in Soda Springs.
Deputy Damian Norden is pictured in an undated photo with the owner of a snowboard, which was stolen in January at Boreal Mountain ski resort in Soda Springs. Nevada County Sheriff's Office

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office recovered two snowboards stolen from Boreal Mountain ski resort after an investigation that involved reviewing security footage.

A man from nearby Soda Springs “thought he’d never see his beloved snowboard again” after it disappeared in January, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post celebrating their success.

Despite his reported despair of ever seeing the board again, the Soda Springs man reported the theft to local law enforcement.

“Unfortunately, snowboard theft is a common occurrence across most all ski resorts,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote. “More often than not the theft goes unreported.”

Deputy Damian Norden from the Sheriff’s Office responded to the Soda Springs man’s January cry for help. He asked the IT team at the ski resort to provide access to relevant “security footage and ticketing technology,” and he was able to identify a suspect. He also found that the suspect had stolen a second snowboard from the resort on the same day.

The second victim has not yet gotten his board back, but the deputy is currently coordinating with him to return it.

The Sheriff’s Office said that felony theft charges would be filed with the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office, indicating that the combined cost of the boards edged over $950, the minimum amount for a felony theft charge in California.

Ariane Lange
The Sacramento Bee
Ariane Lange is an investigative reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She was a USC Center for Health Journalism 2023 California Health Equity Fellow. Previously, she worked at BuzzFeed News, where she covered gender-based violence and sexual harassment.
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