Hopefully, these folks will be caught soon.
Four local businesses burglarized
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Police are investigating four separate burglaries of local businesses that took place over the weekend resulting in thousands of dollars in damage and stolen cash.
On Saturday night, burglars broke into the Snake Farm, a gas station, the Iron Horse Grill and El Jardin Mexican Restaurant, police said. It is still unclear whether the same people committed all the burglaries, said Lt. Mike Penshorn, a police spokesman.
“There has been somewhat of an increase lately,” Penshorn said about the number of after-hours burglaries in the city.
Police received a call Sunday about a break-in at the Iron Horse Grill in the 1000 block of Interstate Business 35 north. Officers found burglars had broken into the back door and took about $430 in cash from a register.
At about noon on Sunday, police responded to a call at the Snake Farm in the 5600 block of Interstate 35 south because burglars had broken into the business through the front double doors and stole a cash register with about $430 in it. Burglars also damaged a display case, causing about $8,500 in damage to the store.
Also on Saturday night, burglars broke into a Citgo gas station on Highway 46 south by smashing a glass front door and taking an unknown amount of money from the register.
The spree’s last victim was the El Jardin restaurant in the 1800 block of Spur Street sometime Saturday night. Burglars kicked in the front door and took cash from the register.
Owners of the businesses did not return calls for comment by press time.
The weekend rash of burglaries came a day after a break in early Friday morning or late Thursday night. Burglars broke into the Old Ice House in the 1400 block of Interstate Business 35 south, prying open three arcade machines and stealing about $300 in money from the machines. The burglars did about $4,500 in damage and got into the business by prying open and climbing in through an exhaust vent.
To help deter break-ins, business owners should install and ensure alarm systems are intact, Penshorn said, as well as having adequate lighting and cutting down on things for would-be burglars to hide behind around a storefront to avoid being spotted.
Penshorn suggested business owners should remove cash from registers after closing and even go so far as to leave registers empty and open within sight of thieves and post signs telling passersby that no cash is kept in the store.
“Generally, the damage done in a burglary is often much greater than the amount of money stolen,” he said.
