A retired FBI special agent has gone on the record as saying that the smash-and-grab burglary of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga, New York in September could have been prevented.

A report by The Saratogian has cited former FBI Special Agent Robert Wittman as saying that the museum robbery could have been prevented.

The article cites Wittman as saying that the Saratoga robbery may not have happened if there was more publicity and awareness made of a similar robbery of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York in December of 2012.

According to the report, Wittman believes the two robberies are related.

“If you don’t jump on it very quickly, oftentimes the burglar who gets away with it feels emboldened to try it again,” Wittman was quoted as saying. “This has become a big case. If you don’t stop it and send message that everyone’s watching, it happens again. That should have been done back in 2012.”

(With files from The Saratogian)