Thieves smash store windows & make off with cash in Howard County

COLUMBIA, Md. - They moved indiscriminately door to door smashing the glass and looking for cash.
 
This is the third time in the last year burglars have hit the Qdoba Mexican Restaurant on Dobbin Center Way.

"The last time it was about $14,000 just to fix the stuff they broke down," said General Manager Francisco Gonzalez.

A hair salon, a tanning salon and even a boxing club…
 
"It's pretty good they did it when no one was here.  Let's put it that way," said LA Boxing General Manager Mark Bullock.

The thieves struck five businesses in one strip center alone along with six others in the same area in the wee hours of the morning Wednesday.
 
"Our officers actually went out and canvassed the area to find other businesses that were targeted that didn't even know they'd been victimized yet," said Sherry Llewellyn of the Howard County Police Department.  

Most of the businesses have security systems, but we’re told surveillance video from one store showed the burglars strategically breaking in and crawling on the floor to reach the cash registers without tripping the alarm.
 
"Because they're breaking the glass, the frame of the door is still in place,” said Gonzalez, “So it looks like we're going to follow (up) with the boss to put sensors in all this stuff too."

We’re told that same security footage revealed the burglars wearing hoods to mask their identities and surgical gloves on their hands to keep from leaving any fingerprints.
 
"Just came in through the side window, broke the register open (and) took cash,” said Bullock, “(They) were pretty good.  (They) didn't leave too much of a trail."

Howard County Police are asking anyone with information on the burglaries to call 410-313-STOP.