When Kathy Buck received the phone call from police saying her store had been broken into, she thought, “Oh no, not again.”
Buck, who has owned Purple Puddle, a florist and gift shop, for 22 years, said this is the third time in five years she has dealt with a break-in. So far, she said she has paid almost $1,000 out of pocket for damages.
Buck is one of seven owners whose business was broken into since Nov. 18. In a news release, Chapel Hill Police Department Lt. Kevin Gunter said there have been 11 break-ins since Nov. 18 and nine of those appear to be related. Two businesses were broken into twice.
It’s unusual to have this many similar incidents occur around the same time, Gunter said in an interview. In all of these cases, the front door was smashed in and whatever money was left in the cash register was taken – nothing else, he said.
As of now, Chapel Hill police have identified one lead in the case, Gunter said.
A surveillance tape released by police shows a white male and a small white truck at CVS Pharmacy. Police believe the suspect visited CVS prior to two reported break-ins at Rams Plaza’s Supercuts and Framer’s Market and Gallery on Nov. 18 at about 4 a.m.
Framer’s Market and Gallery owner Mary Anne Steinis and Framemakers co-owner Verna Jarrell have had their stores broken into twice in the past two weeks.
Jarrell said Framemakers has been in business for 35 years and had never been a victim of a break-in until now.
“We’re working on getting surveillance,” she said. “And we’re not going to have cash at all in here anymore.”
Steinis said the incidents cost her a total of $1,400 in repairs.
“I think people are just in a bad way with the economy the way it is,” she said. “And it’s a difficult time for small businesses … I thought to myself, you know, at least I didn’t have to resort to that.”
Buck has a different theory to explain the break-ins.
“Drug money is what the police mentioned the most,” she said. “They just need a quick fix, so they are looking for cash.”
Her window signs that indicate there is no cash in the store and that there are surveillance cameras are no deterrent for the robbers, she said.
Gunter said it’s difficult to say why the break-ins are happening now, but added that the upcoming holiday season may be one reason.
“I just feel badly for whoever did it,” Steinis said.
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