PORTLAND, Maine — A rash of burglaries has hit restaurants and stores in the city of Portland.
As of August 20, the number of business burglaries in recent weeks has climbed to 14, scattered around the peninsula.
Bryna Gootkind said the breakfast-lunch restaurant she co-owns in the East End was hit early Saturday morning. She said the register and safe were missing, meaning a loss of between $700 and $1,000. She says tablets and laptops in the restaurants were left undisturbed.
Portland Police Lt. Robert Martin says he doesn't know if the burglaries are connected. He said some were similar with restaurants broken into and their registers emptied while some were different. Property was damaged in some cases.
Among the first victims are Maine Oyster Co., Maine Juice Co., Wallace James Clothing, and Little Tap House. Two more locations hit overnight Monday into Tuesday were Still a Good Cause thrift shop on Forest Avenue and Bayside American Cafe on Portland Street.
The cafe's owner told NEWS CENTER Maine someone tried to get into the 1840s era safe but failed.
"I tend to roll with things pretty easy," owner Joe Cataggio said. "I'm more upset about the safe than the fact they broke in. I love that thing...it's gorgeous."
Portland police say they've stepped up patrols at businesses. Monday night, officers reportedly found a number of doors and windows unlocked.