Four Houston Heights restaurants targeted in same-day break-ins
Four Houston Heights restaurants targeted in same-day
Four restaurants in Houston’s Heights neighborhood were targeted in a series of break-ins early Friday morning, and some business owners believe the incidents may be connected.
What we know:
HOUSTON HEIGHTS, TX - Four restaurants in Houston’s Heights neighborhood were targeted in a series of break-ins early Friday morning, and some business owners believe the incidents are connected.
Houston police are investigating and asking anyone with information to come forward.
One of the businesses targeted was Iim Vietnamese Eatery along West 18th Street.
What they're saying:
Owner Andrew Lin shared surveillance video with FOX 26 that shows a suspect arriving on a bicycle while wearing a black hoodie and red gloves.
Lin said the suspect first tried to get inside through the front of the restaurant before eventually entering through the side. He believes the suspect may have used a rock to smash a window.
"It looks like he tried to break from the front door and was unsuccessful because only one pane of glass was broken, and then there was an entry from the side," Lin said. "After he got in, he took about $100 in cash."
Lin said the restaurant has only been open for a few months, making the break-in another challenge for the new business.
"It’s kind of the additional stress that we’re facing, but fortunately we’ve had some nice feedback from people in the community after seeing the incident," Lin said. "So the community has been helpful, and we hope that more people come to visit."
Dig deeper:
Just down the street, Kojak’s Cafe was also broken into Friday morning.
The cafe posted a photo on social media showing its front door window smashed. The owner told FOX 26 nothing was taken.
Tacos Doña Lena, also along West 18th Street, was targeted as well. An employee said the suspect broke the front door window and stole several bottles of alcohol.
Taquerias Arandas along North Shepherd Drive reported another break-in Friday morning.
The restaurant shared surveillance photos online showing a suspect wearing red gloves and a black hoodie. An employee told FOX 26 nothing was taken.
Some of the business owners believe the break-ins are connected and are warning other businesses in the area to be on alert.
"We hope that this guy is taken off the streets," Lin said. "Unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones that were targeted."
What's next:
Houston police say they are investigating the break-ins. Anyone with information is urged to contact HPD.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 26's Jillian Hartmann.