Serial burglar suspected in spree of restaurant, business thefts in the Bronx

BRONX (WABC) -- Police are looking for the man they suspect is connected to several restaurant and business break-ins in the Bronx.

The same suspect might be tied to at least seven incidents over the month of August throughout the Melrose and Mott Haven sections.
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Authorities say the pattern shows he either breaks a front door or window before stealing money from the cash register.

He has also caused thousands of dollars in damage to the restaurants.

"The same day they broke into my store, they broke into a Dunkin Donuts too," store owner Mustapha Konateh said.

Those seven incidents took place at six different locations because he broke into the same Subway restaurant twice.



In most of the cases, the suspect took the register itself. In one case, the owner of a 99 cent store followed the trail of register tap to find where the till had been discarded.

Some merchants have started to take precautions and are reinforcing the glass around doors and windows.

"I used to close around 10 p.m. but now I'm closing at 7 p.m. because of the situation," Konateh said.
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The burglar is suspected in the following crimes:

Aug. 5: $1,500 worth of damage caused at a bagel shop at 221 East 138th Street around 11 p.m.

Aug. 6: $300 stolen from register at restaurant at 3044 3rd Avenue just after midnight

Aug. 12: $2,000 stolen from register at commercial establishment at 776 Melrose Avenue at 11:45 p.m.

Aug. 15: $50 stolen from register at commercial establishment at 352 Willis Avenue just before 10 p.m.

Aug. 16: $700 worth of damage caused at commercial establishment at 2952 3rd Avenue at 12:30 a.m.

Aug. 17: $200 stolen from register at commercial establishment at 459 East 149th Street around 4:45 a.m.

Aug. 20: $300 stolen from cash register at restaurant at 3044 3rd Avenue around 2:15 a.m.

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Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

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