PLEASANTON, CA — At least 18 businesses in Pleasanton were burglarized early Thursday in a smash-and-grab spree that police said primarily targeted restaurants. Investigators said at least four suspects were involved, smashing windows to get inside, taking cash and other items, and leaving quickly.
The damage spread across several shopping centers in the city. Police said the number of businesses hit in just a few hours stood out sharply against the city’s normal commercial burglary pace this year.
Before Thursday morning, Pleasanton had recorded 18 commercial burglaries for the entire year. In a single morning, officers began reporting another 18 businesses hit.
Mission Plaza businesses face broken glass and stolen cash
One of the hardest-hit areas was Mission Plaza, where police said at least five businesses had broken windows. Among them was a shop that was preparing to open for its grand opening next week.
The owner of TP Tea said thieves forced their way inside and stole cash. Carol Rhen said she hoped police would catch the people responsible and said they should be kept away from the public.
Her business was one of several in the plaza left dealing with damage and uncertainty after the morning break-ins. The stolen cash and shattered glass added to the costs for tenants already preparing for normal business hours.
Pacific Pearl restaurants report shattered windows and cash register theft
At Pacific Pearl in Pleasanton, police said at least six more businesses were found with shattered windows. Surveillance video from one sushi restaurant showed a burglar ripping out an entire cash register and carrying it away.
Another restaurant owner, who asked not to be identified on camera, said burglars took at least $500 in cash from her business. She said nearby owners were rattled by what happened and worried about how they would keep operating.
She said the businesses in the area felt scared after learning they were among the latest targets. The spree left owners facing cleanup, repairs and the immediate loss of cash.
Nearby Danville and Dublin businesses were also targeted recently
The Pleasanton break-ins came less than a week after businesses in nearby Danville were also targeted. In that case, surveillance video from Dulce Beauté showed someone breaking into the beauty salon, and workers believed at least a dozen businesses in the area were hit.
At the salon, however, workers said the thieves did not appear to take cash. Connie Palomino said the burglars seemed to have stolen only snacks, a discovery she described as so strange it almost sounded like they had been hungry.
Dublin businesses have also been dealing with recent break-ins. Surveillance video from Labor Day morning showed two masked burglars throwing objects at a restaurant’s front window to get inside.
Surveillance video in Dublin showed burglars trying to destroy a camera
In the Dublin case, video captured one burglar noticing a surveillance camera mounted above him. The man climbed up, grabbed the camera and swung from it in what appeared to be an effort to tear it down.
Workers at the restaurant believe at least three businesses in that shopping center were hit. The footage suggested the thieves were trying to avoid being identified while breaking in.
Authorities have not said whether the Pleasanton burglaries are connected to the earlier incidents in Danville or Dublin. For now, police are treating them as separate investigations unless evidence links them together.
Police chase ended on Stanley Boulevard after officers found a suspected getaway vehicle
Pleasanton police said officers located a vehicle they believe was used by the four suspects in Thursday morning’s burglaries. When officers tried to stop it, the driver fled, according to police.
Officers pursued the vehicle eastbound on Stanley Boulevard before ending the chase. The suspects got away and remained at large after the pursuit was called off.
Police did not immediately say whether any property was recovered or whether the suspects’ vehicle was tied to all of the burglaries. The investigation remained active as officers worked to identify the people involved and piece together the series of break-ins.
