Downtown businesses see rash of break-ins

downtown businesses are on edge after a rash of burglaries, vandalism, and attempted break- ins o...  More »

downtown businesses are on edge after a rash of burglaries, vandalism, and attempted break- ins over the past week. the crime spree seems to be targeting restaurants. antoinette antonio is live downtown -- with what the victims are saying. antoinette? ask any new restaurant owner -- and they'll tell you it's hard enough to make a profit in your first year of business. but when you're getting ripped off, and paying hundreds to repair the damage -- it's enough to make you want to shut your doors. slices pizza on the 4th street mall. it's been open for just three months-- but in a matter of a week, it's become a crime victim four times... all starting last saturday. the first night they smashed the glass and took the register, the second night they smashed the glass took the register with no money in it, and the third night they came by and just smashed the glass the fourth time the crooks came back ... they took another route. this is the hole they tried to kick in, they were in this hallway for quite a while, they got in through the back door. next door -- maloney's says thieves tried to break in -- but failed. gold street caffe says it was also a target. and n-y-p-d pizza on central, was no exception, hit twice in as many days. i've been here 7 years and i was broken into one time in 7 years, and then 2 nights in a row it was just ridiculous owner, joaquin garofalo says the thief, or thieves, smashed in his galss doors, getting away with the cash register one night finding it completely empty thinking that we might be dumb enough to put money in it back over at slices -- manager evan hayford says the recent rash of crime has the owners re- considering whether they'll expand business in the duke city. we're very disappointed, we're a new business form out of town and it cast a dark shadow for us a-p-d says it doesn't think all the break-ins are related. they have stepped up patrols in the area -- as the burglary division works the cases.  « Less