\n Cutlery Collection at the Shops at Willow Bend | Image by Cutlery Collection\/Facebook <\/p>\n
Two businesses at The Shops at Willow Bend were burglarized after closing, with one store owner estimating that more than $50,000 in merchandise was stolen.<\/p>\n
Cutlery Collection owner Karl Monk said<\/a> thieves broke into his store around 1 a.m. Monday after cutting<\/a> through an additional security chain on the storefront door.<\/p>\n The burglars took swords, hunting knives, collectible and antique knives, and other merchandise. Monk said the store\u2019s workshop and backroom were also ransacked.<\/p>\n Cutlery Store Loses Thousands in Merchandise<\/p>\n Among the unusual items stolen<\/a> was the helmet from \u201cRusty,\u201d a suit of armor displayed in the front window.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got a suit of armor with no helmet now,\u201d Monk said, per NBC 5 DFW.<\/p>\n Monk said he believes the store lost roughly $50,000 in merchandise. He also expressed frustration over mall security, saying security measures have been reduced as more retailers have left the property.<\/p>\n Cutlery Collection remains open.<\/p>\n Second Business Also Burglarized<\/p>\n Pipe & Palette, an art-focused event business at the mall, was also burglarized, according to its owner and police.<\/p>\n Owner June Parker said the business lost more than $8,000. She questioned how long the break-in went unnoticed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just like, wow, like a bomb went off,\u201d Parker said, NBC 5 reported.<\/p>\n Plano police are investigating the burglaries through the department\u2019s burglary unit. No suspects have been identified.<\/p>\n Mall Nears Major Redevelopment<\/p>\n The burglaries come as The Shops at Willow Bend approaches<\/a> a major redevelopment.<\/p>\n The mall is scheduled to be demolished in 2027 to make way for a new arena for the Dallas Stars. The team selected the property for its future home in June and later selected a design firm for the arena and surrounding entertainment district.<\/p>\n