Santa Clarita Valley business owners react to rash of break-ins
Small business owners in Santa Clarita Valley are banding together, hopeful that the rash of break-ins impacting their area can be brought to an end.
Anintita Klinklao owns Life Thai Fusion in Santa Clarita, where she does everything from washes dishes to working the restaurant's front desk.
She says that the lifestyle can be exhausting, but rewarding.
"That's my life," Klinklao said. "I enjoy it. ... Sometimes it is work, seriously. But sometimes, it is not work. I just enjoy it."
She's been on Soledad Canyon Road for 13 years now, but a recent string of break-ins at her beloved business has her living more on edge.
She was hit early in the new year, showing KCAL News video of the moment that a person shattered the front door of her restaurant and causing damage inside.
Klinklao says that there's not much for someone to take from her, since she doesn't keep money at her restaurant overnight.
"I pay my taxes, so high," she said. "I pay my bills. I just need support."
It's the fifth time she's had to clean up after getting hit, and the second time the past year.
She has a message for those who continue to target businesses in the area, all doing whatever they can to survive.
"The people that try to do anything, please know this, we are working so hard. We do everything we can, and you guys just throw a rock on us and that's it," Klinklawo said. "You break our heart. I have to pay insurance, a thousand every time you break in. I got break-in five times in four years. Is that fair for me? No, it's not."
Her sentiment is matched by the Alrabai family, who own and operate Seco Mini Market just a few minutes down the road from Life Thai Fusion.
"This is my home," said Deyar Alrabai, who works at the mart with his family. "This is where I love being, where everything happens."
They've owned the store for the past decade, putting in a combined amount of sweat and tears to help the business thrive.
"My mom works here, my dad works here, my two sisters work here," Alrabai said. "We all show up to work and we do what we got to do."
They too, however, have become victim to the rampant amount of break-ins, watching as a group of burglars ransacked their store earlier in January, leaving behind tens of thousands of dollars in damages and stolen product.
"My family and I, we all work hard for what we have right now. We work 16 hour to 18 hour days, for people to come in and vandalize it, take things that aren't theirs, it is very heartbreaking," Alrabai said.
Santa Clarita Sheriff's Office deputies are investigating the incidents, but so far no arrests have been made.
Alrabai and Klinklao both are hopeful that they're brought to justice soon, so they can get back to work without having to look over their shoulder.
"If you guys want anything, jobs, food, whatever, you guys don't need to steal and rob a place, it's not worth it," Alrabai said.
"We have food, they are welcome to cook, I will teach them," Klinklao said. "But, knock on my door. Ask me to unlock the key, don't do this, don't break it in man."
