Bars in San Francisco on edge over recent burglaries

SF Bars worry they're being targeted by burglars

Burglars broke into Mars Bar & Restaurant in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood stealing cash registers and an ATM. The owner says he's just the latest victim.

SAN FRANCISCO - With the weekend upon us, businesses in San Francisco are on alert for burglars who are after cash registers and ATMs. Mars Bar & Restaurant was hit just two weeks ago, and the whole burglary was caught on camera.

In the front window of the bar and restaurant, you can see the sign where they've posted the pictures of the suspects, asking anyone with information to come forward.

Mars Bar & Restaurant in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood is ready for the weekend, just two weeks after burglars targeted the business. Mars Bar & Restaurant owner David Kiely said that burglars targeted his establishment shortly after 5 a.m. on Aug. 23.

Captured on video, burglars are seen using a crowbar to force the doors open. Moments later, they were inside, scrambling to steal the cash register and ultimately dragging out an ATM that had been bolted to the ground.

"It's been tough," said Kiely. "They know what they're doing. They're in and out in four minutes."

Kiely says the thieves worked quickly. The whole thing took less than five minutes. In that time, the thieves did a lot of damage to his doors and bar for a small amount of cash.

"Yeah, for nothing," said Kiely. "There's no cash in bars. Everything is credit card today. Everything is credit cards, we're almost a cashless society. 95% of our transactions, if not more, are credit cards."

Mars Bar & Restaurant says they're not the only ones that have been hit. The Bar Owner Alliance says several bars have been targeted, sometimes by thieves backing a car into the front door and taking what they can.

Kiely says there's been an epidemic of break-ins in his neighborhood.

"The Southside on Howard Street," said Kiely. "They've been broken into twice. The Hotel Utah they broke into. They broke into us here, and the day after that they broke into Aciento at 21st and Harrison [Streets]."

The business owner says the police were here within minutes, but the thieves were already in and out by the time they arrived. He says he'll be reinforcing his doors, and trying to keep them open. He says business is already hard enough, without thieves breaking in, damaging the bar and taking money out of his pocket.