Multiple West Covina businesses burglarized; suspects at large
Multiple West Covina businesses were burglarized early Sunday morning and police were trying to determine if they the crimes are connected to others across the Southland.
At least four businesses had their doors boarded up Monday morning after this weekend's burglaries, including a salon, a Thai food restaurant, and the restaurant Temple Bar Urban Eats.
"We're struggling, trying so hard to make people happy with the bar, with the restaurant, and then to have people come in and disrespect it that way," said Ron Beilke, the owner of Temple Bar Urban Eats.
He wasn't aware that his business had been hit until Sunday morning when his chef showed up to work and found the door and windows shattered.
"He noticed that the window was broken, the door was broken out front, then he noticed a few other businesses had their doors smashed as well," Beilke said.
Security video from Temple Bar shows the suspects smashing the glass with a hammer before making their way inside. They went straight for the manager's office, with video showing them kicking the door and ransacking the rest of the business.
"They took some petty cash, a few odds and ends they were able to pocket," Beilke said, noting that even with them only taking a small amount, the incident leaves him picking up the pieces, quite literally, as he looks to replace the damage left behind. "Now we have to order new doors."
He estimates that could cost him around $3,000.
Beilke says that his restaurant is one of four in the same area that were hit by the burglars.
The string of incidents is just the latest in a trend sweeping the Southland, as eight different small businesses have been targeted by burglars in Long Beach over the last two weeks.
Both cities are working to determine if the crimes are connected.
