16 Smash & Grabs Investigated This Week Across Denver Metro Area
By Jamie Leary
ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - Businesses across the metro area are recovering after a string of smash-and-grabs this week. At least 16 have been reported across the Denver metro area since Tuesday.
The latest two cases reported in Denver's Park Hill neighborhood where thieves used a rock to smash through the door of a nail salon followed by the Cake Crumbs Bakery and Cafe.
The owner of the cafe told CBS4, the thieves stole a safe, which they later ditched but the contents were unfortunately gone.
Surveillance at the cafe shows at least two people wearing hooded sweatshirts breaking in around 3:30 a.m. Thursday.
While police have not connected them to other incidents, the thieves look eerily similar to the ones who broke into the Arvada Army Navy Surplus store just hours earlier.
At least three people broke into the Arvada Army Navy Surplus store on Thursday. The crime happened early in the morning on the 5700 block of Olde Wadsworth Boulevard in Olde Town Arvada.
Surveillance video released by the store shows three people in hoodies with their faces hidden roaming about the store taking things. One of the crooks grabbed the cash register drawer but the owner of the store says it was empty.
There were 50 cameras inside the store, one captured a white 1990s Honda Civic leaving the scene.
The suspects used a rock to break the side door of the store so they could get in. The burglars got away with a couple of boxes of ammunition, knives and gloves.
Police say this is one of eight different break-ins that happened overnight in the Arvada area.
In Littleton, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies are investigating at least six smash-and-grabs that occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday night.
MC's Brooklyn Pizzeria showed CBS4 the surveillance. Once again, a rock was used to break the front door. While one person waits in a car, you can see one man visibly disappointed there is no cash in the drawer so the thief decided to take the tip jar.
It had $8 in cash inside.
In almost every one of these cases, the cost to fix the damage is far greater than anything the crooks could get their hands on.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office says in the cases in Littleton, the getaway vehicle was a red Ford F350.
Jamie Leary joined the CBS4 team in 2015 and currently works as a reporter for CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. She couldn't imagine a better place to live and work and will stop at nothing to find the next great story. Jamie loves learning about and hearing from her fellow community members, so connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @JamieALeary.