Thieves steal $1,300 from The Gnome in St. Paul, owner says

Police are investigating after the owner of a St. Paul restaurant said thieves broke in and stole $1,300 Sunday morning.

St. Paul police say officers responded to The Gnome on Selby Avenue and Mackubin Street North around 9 a.m. Sunday. The owner said the restaurant was burglarized at around 4 a.m.

The owner, Brian Ingram, said the thieves pulled a window out of the building. Staff members were working downstairs at the time, and the thieves broke into the liquor rooms and offices to saw open safes, he said.

Ingram said in a Facebook post he has "lost count" of how many times the restaurant has been broken into. He said police told him that two other businesses on the block had been targeted in the same manner last week.

"Talking about crime is hard on a business. You're afraid of scaring away your customers. Afraid of being criticized. Afraid someone will turn your anger into politics when all you're trying to do is protect your people," said Ingram.