Popular Edmond businesses targeted in crime spree
Several Edmond businesses in a popular shopping area off South Bryant, near Hafer Park, were the targets of a crime spree when a burglar broke into at least four stores.
EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) - Several Edmond businesses in a popular shopping area off South Bryant, near Hafer Park, were the targets of a crime spree when a burglar broke into at least four stores.
The Tropical Smoothie Café was one of the first businesses broken into around 4:10 a.m. Thursday morning. Surveillance video showed the man bust open the drive thru window, reach inside and try to pry open the cash register. He then jumped inside and tried another one.
“I think he was very disappointed because he had a little frustration on camera,” said Darnell Harris, one of the owners of Tropical Smoothie Café.
Harris said the man was likely upset the drawers were empty because the business hasn’t even opened its doors yet. They are less than two weeks away from a planned opening.
The thief did take several iPads, MacBooks and laptops that were charging on a table inside.
“It’s frustrating, absolutely 100 percent frustrating, “said Harris. “It was probably a total of close to $3,500.”
The business owner said the man stole a backpack Harris left inside to store the stolen electronics as he continued his crime spree.
Minutes later, the suspect reportedly hit newly opened “Swig” next door, busting through the drive thru window and taking the cash register.
The suspect also targeted the Pelican Bay Aquatic Center close by, breaking several windows and doors, before stealing a safe and ditching it in the woods.
“There were pry marks on it where they had attempted to open it and could not,” said Emily Ward, Edmond Police Department spokesperson.
His last stop was the Clean Juice Edmond, a juice bar which opened its doors six months ago in Spring Creek Plaza.
“Once he came through the back door he came straight up through where the case register is,” said Elizabeth Zuckermandel, owner and operator of Clean Juice.
She said her surveillance cameras captured the man head back into the kitchen before spotting a 60-pound safe tucked under a desk. Video showed the man grab the safe and carry it out the back door before throwing it over a retaining wall and jumping eight feet into the nearby wooded area surrounding Hafer Park.
Zuckermandel said the business lost around $1,000 in damages but also it cost the shop nearly a day’s worth of online sales. Edmond Police said they were working to identify the man in the video but so far no arrests have been made.