A masked burglar broke into two Tierrasanta businesses early Monday, the latest in a string of break-ins that San Diego police said may have been committed by the same man.
Police said at around 3 a.m., a man broke into Sangucheria Peruvian Street Food and Dairy Queen, in the 5900 block of Santo Road, using a sledgehammer. He stole a few hundred dollars from each business as well as a small safe.
“The person that entered the place stayed there only five minutes,” Sangucheria owner Jorge Readegui said, sharing surveillance video that showed the intruder stalking into the restaurant then overturning the camera. “They only go for cash.”
The burglar smashed the restaurant's front door and one of the windows. Readegui said it would cost $1,500 to replace the window alone.
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“All the businesses in this place suffer from robbery once in awhile,” he said. “We don’t know what to do.”
“It's a fairly easy target given its location and proximity to the highways. So they're able to do a quick smash-and-grab and get on the highways and get out of here pretty quickly,” said Dairy Queen owner Craig Engler.
The Dairy Queen’s front door was shattered and the burglar stole a cash bag that held a few hundred dollars in change.
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“One thing I'm happy for is they could have damaged a lot of equipment, which costs thousands more. And they didn’t. So in a way, I'm lucky in that regard. I'm still pissed, but I am lucky,” Engler said.
This marked the third burglary – hitting five businesses – in Tierrasanta this month alone. On Nov. 19, both Round Table Pizza and Tutuli Mexican Eatery in the 10400 block of Tierrasanta Boulevard were both broken into in the same manner.
And in the early morning hours of Nov. 4, a masked intruder broke into Tierrasanta Mexican Food, just a few doors down from Sangucheria and Dairy Queen, damaging the window, property inside the restaurant, and again stealing about $500.
“It just feels like someone’s invading your home,” Tierrasanta Mexican Food owner Elizabeth Sifuentes said. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Sifuentes said since the burglary, she’s upgraded their security for about $2,500 and repaired damages worth about $4,000 – all over what she called “a little bit of petty cash that wasn’t worth the damage.”
“Right now I feel a little bit more secure with the system that we have, but I know that the other locations aren't that lucky because it keeps happening,” she said.
She and other business owners said community support has been key – and they asked for help finding the suspect.
“Be vigilant, you know, pay attention. If you see something, let people know. Come out and support small business and help us. Help us ride this wave,” Engler said.
The suspect is believed to be between 20 to 35 years old and wearing a red hooded sweatshirt. San Diego police asked anyone with information to contact Sgt. Brian French at bfrench@pd.sandiego.gov or call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477.
