“They broke in from the front door very quickly. There were four. Each started checking the place, and then one took the cash register.”
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three Tahoe Park businesses are recovering after a series of early morning break-ins that Sacramento police are investigating.
“Because of the timing, proximity and similar circumstances, burglary detectives have taken over the investigations,” police said.
Officers first responded to an alarm at Bacon and Butter off Broadway around 4:10 a.m. Friday, according to Sacramento police. On Saturday, they were dispatched to an alarm at Sac City Brews around 4:13 a.m. Minutes later, officers responded to another burglary at Milano Pizza around 4:25 a.m., police said.
Milano Pizza owner Fred Ebrahimi said the restaurant has been in the Tahoe Park neighborhood since 1998 and has been broken into about three times in nearly 30 years at that location. He believes two of those incidents are connected.
“We love it because it’s a family business, and all the neighbors around are all just like family,” Ebrahimi said.
He said he and other nearby businesses usually feel safe in the area. That changed early Saturday when, he said, four people broke in through the front door.
“They broke in from the front door very quickly, very fast. There were four. Each started checking the place, and then one took the cash register. The other one checked underneath it and tried to take the safe, but safe was bolted to the ground,” Ebrahimi said.
Ebrahimi showed ABC10 surveillance video, which shows the suspects dressed in dark clothes and in and out in about 20 seconds. He said they took about $100, including the entire register. In total, he estimates the business lost about $1,200 due to damages.
“We cannot report it to our insurance because if we do, then insurance goes up. We’d rather pay this damage and stay where we are,” Ebrahimi said.
An employee at Bacon and Butter also confirmed a similar break-in, saying four men entered the business while another person stayed outside in a car.
Sac City Brewing said it quickly made repairs in time for its Valentine’s Day rush.
Ebrahimi said he does not believe anyone from the Tahoe Park community would target the businesses. He said he believes the suspects may be from another area and could be the same group that broke into Milano Pizza last year.
All three businesses said Saturday that community members can show support by visiting and eating or drinking at their establishments as they recover.
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