Police in Oakland, California, are looking for a group of burglars accused of ransacking seven stores in Little Saigon earlier this week.
The thieves allegedly targeted International Plaza, a strip mall along International Boulevard, in a 90-minute burglary spree on early Monday morning. Among the victims were a Vietnamese restaurant and a laundromat.
Although the burglars only made off with some change from the restaurant, V & J Fusion, the damage that was done when the thieves broke in through the roof has forced the business to close down for repairs. The
“I’m just shocked, mad and sad. All the emotions,” V & J Fusion owner Simon Liu told KRON 4. “The damage is really what’s bothering me because without it getting repaired, I can’t open for business and everyday I’m not open I’m losing money.”
At the laundromat, International Coin Laundry, the suspects were seen struggling to open a coin machine for more than 30 minutes. Eventually, they managed to flee with $5,000 in cash.
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“Whether it took five minutes or an hour, they didn’t care. That’s the scary part,” owner Nolan Wong told NBC Bay Area.
Oakland police are looking for at least five suspects. On Wednesday, they released surveillance images of their alleged vehicles, which included an older white BMW, a newer black BMW and a silver Honda.
Meanwhile, some merchants reportedly questioned why the police took so long to respond to the break-ins. One witness told KTVU she called at around 4:30 a.m., but it was not until 6:20 a.m. when dispatchers were finally notified, Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said.
Wong, whose laundromat was also victimized earlier this year, is frustrated about the continuous crimes and sluggish police intervention.
“I’m very angry,” Wong told KTVU. “This is continuing every single week, you know? We never get a break. It’s just constant.”
Featured Image via KRON 4
