So the store was robbed...

[Eireann]

WHAT a way to start the day.

I arrived at the store and decided to do things a bit differently today, opening the metal shutters over the windows. It's a good thing I did, because I discovered - hey - one of the shutters is missing a lock. Are the owners replacing it?

Well, they will be NOW, because when I examined it more closely, the shutter swung open to reveal a broken window.

I ran, unlocked the door, and saw the mess. Broken window, huge mess underneath the broken window - and, oh fuck, I wondered, what had been stolen?

Money, that's what. The cash box was lying on the floor, wide open. No paper money in it, though - and this struck me as odd - coins were scattered all over the place. Mr. Thief must have dropped it.

I alerted the owners, being careful not to touch anything more than necessary, and waited for them. Being the owners, they were the ones to call the police. The police arrived first, since the owners had to come from home. I let them in and showed them the damage.

Really, it looked like a crime scene in a movie. Broken window, shards of glass, money box open, the works. Another funny thing; as far as any of us can tell, the ONLY thing stolen was the paper money. Of which, there was not much in the box. Coins still there. Other fairly valuable items still there. One of the owners suggested that something may have scared the thief, who decamped with his ill-gotten gains. We agreed that this is likely.

As I was wandering around, looking at the mess, the male cop looked at me and said in a friendly way, "Fuck!"

"Yeah," I agreed.

I was supposed to work today, but what with the robbery (and the owners are convinced that they know who did it), they told me I could go home.

Tomorrow should be interesting.

[Pixilated]

Oh man ... what a way to start a workday! Hope tomorrow goes well and that they catch the guy. If there's anything good about it, it's that it was a break-in and not a face-to-face robbery.

[bhskittykatt]

If the owners strongly suspect who did it...hopefully justice will be served soon!

[Eireann]

The owners told the police they're sure they know who did it - but when the police asked for the guy's name, address, phone number, etc., they didn't have it. They just know the guy by sight, not by name. Though my guess is, he lives in the area, or he wouldn't know the store so well.

[Sapphire Silk]

Waiting for updates!

[Teefies2]

I had a similar situation. When we owned a small bookstore, I came in one Sat morning to discover the cash drawer had been pried open, coins all over the floor, etc. Couldn't figure out how they had gotten in at all.

When I called the police, they came out of course, dusted for prints etc. Here's where it gets funny. You see, the cash drawer was empty other than coins because I always took the paper money home each night (what? it was a family business - that was our income!). I made the deposit for the week on Sat. morning, so I had the paper money with me when I arrived at the store that morning. So, the thief (ves) didn't get anything other than maybe a few coins.

The responding officer said, is anything else missing? Well, no, because you see, we were a Christian bookstore. I guess they didn't want to steal any Bibles! LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[bubblelittlepally]

Oh wow, that's lame. I hope your unexpected off day didn't hurt your paycheck!

[Chanlin]

From a guy who watches way way to many crime procedural shows taking just cash was smart. It's the only thing that's impossible to prove that he stole from your store specifically.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

I'm glad no one was hurt. Hope they catch the criminal(s) quickly!

[Seshat]

If there's anything good about it, it's that it was a break-in and not a face-to-face robbery.

Agreed. Noone was hurt (presumably), and goods/money can be insured and replaced.

[Eireann]

The store was closed all day; the police were here for quite some time. No fingerprints, but a VERY nice footprint.

The owner thinks that, since the thief didn't find anything, he won't try it again.

Now, we're cleaning up, especially all those damned glass shards. Funnily enough, the store is pretty busy today. Karma?

[Eireann]

Cleanup is progressing nicely. Much vacuuming done, glass cleaned up (I'm pretty sure, anyway), drilling and painting going on, etc. I asked the owner to point out Mr. Thief to me if he ever comes in the store again - as I pointed out to him, even though I can't call the cops on him since there's no proof, I can always cruise up and down the aisles with a baseball bat.

Earlier, I was doing some cleanup work, and when I was finished, I said with satisfaction, "MUCH better!"

"Aw, come on, Eireann," the owner complained.

He thought I was talking about the music he was playing, which he knows I hate.

[Caractacus_Potts]

Really, it looked like a crime scene in a movie.

I felt the same way when my house was robbed. Desk and TV stand (sanss laptop and TV) askew. Desk and bureau drawers pulled out and dumped on the floor, pictures and mirrors pulled off the walls (like I have a hidden wall safe or anything valuable enough to put into one!).

One of the owners suggested that something may have scared the thief, who decamped with his ill-gotten gains. We agreed that this is likely.

Same with my thieves. They had all but one wire disconnected from the 2nd TV and had not even started on the desktop computer when something must have spooked them and they ran.

[taxguykarl]

I guess there was no videom, then. Sounds like a tough case if cash was the only thing stolen.