Burglary blitz on Walmer businesses

Three businesses in the same Main Road, Walmer, area were broken into during a spate of burglaries in the early hours of Friday morning.

Police said more businesses might have been broken into along the same stretch of road, with owners simply not reporting the break-ins.

The burglaries happened between midnight and 3.30am on Friday.

Walmer Fitness Network, based at the 154 Main Road Walmer centre, was broken into on both Thursday and Friday morning.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the burglary on Friday morning had happened shortly after midnight.

“The suspects broke the glass door and stole the keyboard for an Apple computer that was stolen on Thursday,” she said.

The computer was stolen on Thursday morning – presumably by the same suspects who returned for the keyboard the following night.

By 2am on Friday, the culprits had moved to Nearby Brioche Food and Coffee Shop.

Owner Ilse Cole said they had forced open the kitchen door and stolen alcohol.

“On January 29 we were also broken into and then again February 17 – two weeks later. They cut the locks and basically cleaned us out that time.”

Cole said burglaries in the Walmer area were a concern.

“The entire area is being targeted, not only businesses. We have alarms and other security but the fact is that if they want to get in, they will,” she said.

By about 3am, Jack's Bagels in the Bloomingdale Lifestyle Centre was also broken into.

Naidu said police had been informed of the burglary but the owner declined to open a case.

She said within the past two months they had seen a spike in burglaries in Main Road.

“Our crime patterns show that businesses appear to be the main target as all the burglaries happen after hours – when the stores are closed,” she said.

“At this stage, we are not sure if it is one group targeting businesses in the area. However, based on forensics gathered on the crime scenes, we will be able to establish this.”

Naidu urged businesses to open cases so that evidence could be gathered to assist in identifying the culprits.

“Evidence obtained at one of the scenes could assist with linking the culprits to a string of other burglaries. Also remember that once the suspects are arrested we can charge them for multiple crimes based on the number of cases opened that they can be linked to.

“It is imperative that cases get opened as it can only help detectives to track down the perpetrators.”

Naidu said a meeting was being arranged between the cluster office – which oversees the Walmer police station – and the station management to discuss the crime issue.