ST. LOUIS — Business owners in the Central West End were left concerned after another string of overnight break-ins on Tuesday.
Sunisa Payne and Thai Bowl Forest Park Ave and South Taylor were open for business despite a broken front door.
At about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday, video surveillance footage captured by the owner showed a thief smashing in the front door window and twisting the knob from inside to get in the restaurant.
Another angle showed the perpetrator in a Sitex jacket with a hood ransacking the front counter, picking up the cash register, and smashing it on the floor.
Payne told 5 On Your Side the thief got away with credit cards and a phone.
A few doors over, their neighbors at Hon's Wok also had to sweep up broken glass.
Staff at the Chinese restaurant stated they had been burglarized five times in 20 years and had dealt with fights and other issues.
“Before it happened this one, the police come right away but after COVID-19 we call the police, nobody come," one staff member said.
According to an incident report from St. Louis Police department officers made several attempts to contact the owner of Hon’s Wok; however, it was to no avail.
Nearly 30-minutes after the burglaries inside that shopping center, police confirmed someone tried to break into The Wing Stop at one on Lindell Boulevard.
They found a brick on the sidewalk and the cash registers on the floor.
These break-ins occurred just a day after two suspects broke a large glass window at Brasserie By Niche in the Central West End.
This was shortly after a clothing store was hit and suspects got into a shootout with the owner on Washington Avenue.
Payne added that she wanted people to enjoy her food even if they cannot afford it.
"If they want to eat, we can cook for them sometimes, but don’t take from us," she said. "Looking for a job to do is better you know...one day...someday you’re going to get caught."
Police have said it is unclear if all of these incidents are connected but they are working to catch the thieves.
Anyone with information that can help solve the crimes can call CrimeStoppers at 366-371-TIPS.
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