Pleasant Hill camera store hit by thieves — again
Nov 07, 2024
PLEASANT HILL, Calif. (KRON) -- In the East Bay, a Pleasant Hill camera shop was hit by a costly break-in, just three months removed from its last burglary. This time, it was caught on video.
It took just one kick through the door and the thieves were in.
"It's just. It's getting really old," said the store's manager, Andrew Krebs.
Just after 5 a.m. Wednesday, Pleasant Hill police say six suspects broke into Mike's Camera on Contra Costa Boulevard.
Omar Torres mugshot released by SJPD
"In hoods and gloves and masks," Krebs explained.
A witness tipped police off to the burglary in progress. The first officer was on scene five minutes after the call.
The suspects were able to push a rack of stuff and some other items out of the store and bolted in what police describe as a silver Hyundai and a black sedan.
"We also had a break-in in early August," said Krebs. "One which somebody stole a car, and they drove the car through the door here and then they ran in, and they hit one of the cases in the front and stole a lot of used equipment."
Last year, Krebs said employees were also held up by a group of thieves at gunpoint during a robbery. Then, in September, he said Mike's Camera Store in Dublin was burglarized.
All of the incidents with collective losses and damages totaled thousands of dollars. As for whether or not the suspects involved in this week's burglary were also tied to the one in August, police say that is still under investigation.
"We now have employees who have left the store because of PTSD," said Krebs. "So, it's hard, man."
It's become increasingly difficult for storefronts to maintain their operations along Contra Costa Boulevard. It's a major thoroughfare that runs along a freeway with several businesses reporting burglaries in recent months.
"It's been very frustrating," said Krebs.
So far, no arrests have been made.