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Surveillance video shows a man breaking into stores in Woodland Hills in a series of destructive robberies.
At least three businesses were robbed early Friday morning after a suspect used a large rock to gain entry.
The break-in happened around 2 a.m. at the mall on Ventura Boulevard.
Security cameras showed a hooded suspect walking around outside the store’s windows and looking into the store. The suspect then grabbed a large rock and smashed through the glass door of Pizza Polo, a restaurant serving Italian and Persian cuisine.
Once inside, the suspect went straight to the register behind the front counter and quickly grabbed several handfuls of cash.
Mohsen Javadi, the owner of Pizza Polo, said the attacker also fled with a stolen cell phone.
Javadi said his Woodland Hills restaurant had been open without incident for about two years before the latest incident.
He said he believes Southern California’s criminal justice system needs to be tougher on criminals targeting small businesses.
“I don’t think the situation is that tough right now,” he said. “I think we should be stricter.”
Following the theft, Javadi said he would consider strengthening security measures, including installing an alarm system.
The same suspect then used the large rock to shatter the glass doors of two other nearby businesses, including a cake shop called The Cake House and a cafe called The Baker.
Inside The Baker store, the suspect was seen quickly emptying the register and leaving.
“It’s very sad because we’ve been working hard to keep the restaurant afloat after the coronavirus pandemic,” said Jackie Ramteen of The Baker. “It would be sad if that happened.”
The robbery in Woodland Hills is just the latest in a string of similar break-ins in the area. Earlier this week, four stores in Northridge were targeted in push-pull thefts, with multiple suspects caught on camera ransacking the stores.
The victims are glad no one was hurt, but they hope the suspect is arrested soon before he moves on to other businesses.
Anyone with information regarding the theft is asked to contact the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-275-5273.
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