PHOENIX – Some business owners in Phoenix’s Melrose District are on edge after a burglar hit a restaurant and a coffee shop, causing thousands of dollars in damage and stealing cash.
Owners are hoping surveillance video will help police track down the person responsible.
What we know:
Just before 3 a.m. On Wednesday, July 16, surveillance video shows what appears to be a man hopping a metal security fence at Royale Kitchen + Cocktails, near 7th and Glenrosa avenues.
Moments later, he smashed a window at Royale Kitchen + Cocktails and entered the building, holding a flashlight in his mouth as he moved through the darkened restaurant.
“Obviously someone who was a professional, someone who’s doing this obviously for a living,” said Marc Howard, owner of Royale Kitchen + Cocktails. “They climbed the fence in the back very quickly like a cat, they were completely dressed, head to toe, in full-covered clothing.”
The theft and damage totaled thousands of dollars. The thief searched the building until he located the restaurant’s safe.
Dig deeper:
Howard believes the suspect has committed similar crimes before.
“They had all the right tools; they knew exactly what they wanted and what they were going after,” he said.
The damage wasn’t limited to the restaurant. The burglar also broke out the door to Window Coffee Bar, located in the same complex, stealing money from the locally owned business before exiting less than two minutes later.
“It’s sad because there are a lot of people who are working really hard to try to create a vibrant, a beautiful, a unique Melrose neighborhood,” Howard said. “That’s why we’re here. We’re really proud of what’s been created, and we love being a part of all these amazing businesses that are along this road here, but a lot of us are struggling with these instances.”
What you can do:
Phoenix Police are asking anyone with information or who saw something suspicious that morning to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
Crime and Public SafetyPhoenixNews