Police officers found an unexpected piece of evidence at the scene of a burglary: a note apologizing for the crime.
Over the course of several days, three businesses were burglarized, six were vandalized, and one was the target of a grand theft in San Fernando, California, according to reports by ABC 7.
The businesses affected ranged from a property management office to ice cream shops and restaurants.
A restaurant called Teriyaki Madness was targeted twice on Tuesday and Thursday, and the next day the owners recovered a yellow sticky note with the message: “Sorry! Need $ for drugs, won’t come back.”
Chris English/Wikimedia Commons
Surveillance cameras are reportedly believed to have captured the moment one of the burglars entered the restaurant through a shattered window, and then could be seen appearing to write the note. No arrests have been made, as detectives continue to investigate the case, per ABC 7.
Another business, a coffee shop called San Fernando Coffee Company, was also targeted and a thief escaped with the cash register. It only contained $6, however the shop owner, Isiah Rosario, said it would cost $1,000 to replace.
Rosario added, “This week has been an emotional rollercoaster.”
Protein Shop, a store just a few minutes away from Teriyaki Madness, is thought to have captured the same man on CCTV robbing the cash register after breaking in, the ABC 7 report states. The owner says at least $500 was stolen.
“This person appears to have done this before,” San Fernando Police Chief Fabian Valdez reportedly said. “It looks like they were concealing their fingerprints and being very careful on what they touched.”
KTLA reported that the wave of burglaries has left local businesses on edge and frustrated.
Business owners have a planned meeting with local law enforcement to discuss the situation. “It just sucks,” Rosario told the outlet.
Another local business owner told ABC7 that insurance wouldn’t cover all of the damage and that business owners were worried about making claims as costs of premiums are going up.
San Fernando police are investigating the incidents, and urge anyone with information contact them.
In 2022, 417 property crimes were recorded in San Fernando, amounting to 1,774 per 100,000 people, lower than the national average by 9.2%. San Fernando has a general crime rate that is higher than 64% of the cities in California, according to Neighborhood Scout.
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