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Same suspects burglarize several neighborhood bars in San Jose
Several supects burglarize neighborhood bars in San Jose. Bar owners are sharing information to help catch the suspected criminals.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The owners of several small neighborhood bars in San Jose believe the same crew may have burglarized more than a dozen bars over the past month. Now, those bar owners are sounding the alarm and sharing their surveillance video.
They say they are a tight-knit group and by sharing information they are hoping to help each other stay safe -- and hopefully help to catch a couple of suspected criminals.
One of the crimes occurred at the Branham Lounge in a shopping center at Almaden Expressway and Branham Lane on Aug. 23.
Surveillance video shows two individuals pulling up to the back door around 3 a.m. Once their first effort to gain entry failed they went back to get a bigger crowbar. Once they broke through and got inside, they stole several cartons of cigarettes and ransacked the office.
"They used some fireman’s tools to get inside our back door, and they came in, kicked in all of our doors, and caused about a thousand dollars worth of damage," said the bar owner, who did not want his name used.
The owner said what is seen on the video is very disheartening.
"I have spoken to several other bar owners, and we are all in agreement that it is the same guys hitting our bars. We have seen all the video footage, and they are going around. I don’t think they are too scared of any repercussions," the owner said.
Just over two miles north of the Branham Lounge, off Almaden Expressway, is the Office Bar and Lounge. Owner Keon Vossoughi called the break-in at his bar a "major setback." Vossoughi believes it was the same two people, driving the same vehicle and even wearing the same hoodie, that hit his bar early Monday morning Sept. 9.
One of the thieves even wore a sweatshirt that said "security" on the back. Once the pair gained entry, they found a safe and used a dolly to haul it away.
"They took my safe, ransacked through every drawer, took the change – took stupid things. Luckily, the safe was almost empty. They didn’t get away with a lot of cash, but they did a lot of damage to the building," Vossoughi said.
At the Branham Lounge, an alarm sounded, and the security video showed that police responded and searched the building, but the suspects were long gone. Both of these bars are small businesses and the owners say this kind of crime really hurts.
"It is huge. I feel bad for all of the other businesses that are getting hit. I know ten or 15 bars got hit in the last month. It is a big impact. We are not a big company. We are small and it is hard to survive right now," Vossoughi said.
In a statement, San Jose police confirmed they are investigating these burglaries and the cases remain open and active. So far there have been no reported injuries as the businesses have all been closed when the burglaries occurred.