Multiple businesses in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood have been burglarized over a period of a few days, and they say it seems like the crimes are happening more often.
In one case at Figurehead Brewery, surveillance cameras show a suspect carrying away a safe after getting inside a back door.
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Surveillance video from Thursday shows the break-in at Figurehead.
“It was kind of a shock,” said Bob Monroe
Right next door at Caffé Appassionato, someone used tools to cut their van open early Saturday morning.
“That’s the ignition that was pried out and that's the door, literally six inches that was just pried open,” said Phil Sancken, owner of Caffe Appassionato. “It’s a bit of a war zone down here."
Businesses in Interbay say it seems like crime here is picking up.
“It’s been increased a fair amount over the last 12 months,” Sancken said. He said thieves have broken in multiple times before.
“It's very tough for businesses because everyone works hard, and you feel like the spirit of trust is broken with the community,” Sancken said.
The break-in next door was a first for Figurehead Brewery.
“It was kind of a shock that happened here, because it's such a little hidden place,” said Jenny Boyd, who works at the brewery.
Their back door is metal, with a deadbolt.
“He pried it open from the outside here and completely destroyed the lock,” Monroe said.
Their cameras show a man in a hoodie making a beeline for the area behind the bar.
“And went straight to the safe, so he must have cased the place beforehand,” Monroe said.
The man in the video goes back outside a few times, appearing to get more tools, and you see him come back in with a crowbar.
“The goes with the safe. Nonchalantly walks out,” Monroe said, describing the video.
It all takes less than four minutes.
Plus both Sancken and Monroe say another shop in the neighborhood was also targeted a few days ago.
“It’s three instances in the last couple of days. So I have to sort of anticipate, tomorrow do I come in to find we are broken into again?” Sancken said.
They're all stepping up security - stronger doors, more lights, better cameras - but say they can't fight the problem on their own..
“Local businesses are getting together and hopefully going to convince the city to step up patrols around the area,” Monroe said.
“Someone’s going to have to step up to the plate,” Sancken said.
There was about $500 in the safe stolen from Figurehead, and Monroe said the suspect caused much more in damage.
The van break-in at Caffe Appassionato also caused at least several thousand dollars in damage, according to Sancken.
KIRO 7 asked the Seattle Police Department if they’d consider stepping up patrols in Interbay. SPD said it would work to answer the question on Monday.
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