Robbers looking for cash damaged at least seven restaurants and businesses in and around Decatur’s Oakhurst neighborhood, one in Atlanta’s Kirkwood neighborhood, and two in the city’s Candler Park neighborhood.
Three suspects driving a black sedan smashed windows and front doors to enter the businesses overnight, according to the Decatur Police Department.
The break-ins occurred in the early hours of Monday, June 10, and the majority of the businesses hit were restaurants, including Ford’s BBQ, Mojo Pizza, Wahoo Wine and Provisions at Wahoo! Grill, Sun in My Belly, Los Ninos Taqueria, and Moxie Burger.
Los Ninos Taqueria on College Avenue in Decatur lost an entire glass panel beside the front door of the Mexican restaurant. Owner Shane Mixon said he thought Los Ninos was the last business to be damaged and burglarized in Decatur around 5:30 a.m. Cash was stolen, but not much else, he said.
“It’s easy to break a panel of glass,” Mixon said as he sat at the bar inside Los Ninos on Monday morning waiting for the glass repair company to arrive.
Mixon owns Paolino, an Italian restaurant and gelato shop approximately a mile away from Los Ninos in Oakhurst Square, which was also hit. Both restaurants opened for business as usual on Monday afternoon, having cleaned up the broken glass.
“We’ve got bills to pay. Well, now we’ve got even more bills,” Mixon added.
In Candler Park, Moxie Burger and San Francisco Coffee at the corner of DeKalb Avenue and Clifton Road were open and busy, despite damage to the front doors. It’s unclear if anything was stolen from the businesses.
A similar scenario played out early Monday morning in Kirkwood at breakfast and brunch restaurant Sun in My Belly. One of the restaurant’s wooden French doors was hanging off its hinges on the side of the building.
Owner Max LeBlanc said that around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning, the suspects attempted to break in via a front window. When they failed, the suspects kicked in a set of blue French doors on the corner of the historic Kirkwood building. Once inside, the suspects tried to unplug Sun in My Belly’s point of sales system but realized there was no money. While looking for more cash drawers, they “trashed” other areas of the restaurant before fleeing the scene when neighbors walking their dogs were alerted to the commotion.
LeBlanc said one suspect dropped their cell phone as they fled, which was turned over to Atlanta Police, along with security footage from Sun in My Belly. He estimates the damaged French doors will cost about $7,500 to replace.
Monday’s break-in at Sun in My Belly came a week after the popular brunch spot unexpectedly closed for two days due to the Atlanta water crisis that saw thousands of residents, businesses, and restaurants across the city experience low or no water for days.
“After the water main break, this is just another devastating blow to a small business like ours. We can’t catch a break, but we’ll do what we do best, which is food and customer service,” said LeBlanc. “This is all making all of our staff feel defeated. Hopefully, the community will help support us during this time. I know many businesses are struggling with all of these setbacks.”
The Decatur Police Department are looking into the string of early morning break-ins.
According to Decatur Police, “around 4:51 a.m., DPD responded to a burglar alarm in the 600 block of East Lake Drive and discovered several businesses had been burglarized. Additional commercial burglaries were discovered on Mead Road, West College Avenue and East College Avenue. A total of nine commercial burglaries were reported. The suspects forced glass doors and windows and targeted cash registers. Investigators responded to process the scenes. Initial investigation revealed there were three suspects driving a black sedan.”
Decatur Police told Rough Draft on Monday that the department will be reaching out to DeKalb County and Atlanta police to follow up on any related incidents in those jurisdictions.
The investigations are active and ongoing. To report information about the incidents, contact Sgt. Mark Hensel at mark.hensel@decaturga.com or 678-553-6687, or Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous.