Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Lemon Tree burglarized, latest business targeted by smash-and-grabber

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The Lemon Tree Mediterranean Grill at 356 Indian Boundary Road was burglarized on Thursday, Oct. 29, in the latest of a rash of smash-and-grab jobs targeting businesses along the Indian Boundary Road/South Calumet Road retail and professional corridor.

According to Chesterton Police, at 10 a.m. Friday an employee arrived for work at the Lemon Tree to find “a lot of glass all over the dining room floor.” She then noticed a broken window on the west side of the building and the cash drawer missing from the register.

A review of footage from the security camera showed this, police said:

At 9:55 p.m. Thursday--approximately 50 minutes after the manager and an employee locked up and left--“someone is seen peeking into the window on the west side of the dining room,” police said.

The subject then “take several quick looks inside before smashing the double-pane window, jumping through the broken window, briefly steadying himself on a dining room table, then jumping to the floor before briskly walking behind the food prep/cash register area,” police said.

At 9:56 p.m. “the suspect rips the cash drawer away” from the monitor of the point-of-sale terminal, and at 9:57 p.m. “exits out the same broken window,” police said.

The cash drawer was subsequently recovered by detectives in a wooded area just west of the Lemon Tree, police said.

“The window was most likely broken with a large piece of a tree branch,” police added.

The suspect is described as a very thin male subject whose face was covered by a sweatshirt and who was wearing gloves.

Police did not say how much cash was in the register drawer nor estimate damage to the window.

The Lemon Tree Job is only the most recent in a series of business burglaries going back at least to July:

* Verizon Wireless, 705 Plaza Drive, smash-and-grab on July 1. Several phones stolen. No estimate of loss or damage.

* Kathy’s Antique Shop, 1599 St. Calumet Road, smash-and-grab on or before Aug. 12. Approximately $350 in cash stolen.

* Duneland Dental Group, 106 Indian Boundary Road, window pried open on or before Aug. 24.

* Spike & Buddy’s, Di La Bella Salon, in the shared space at 320 S. Calumet Road, broken side door on or before Sept. 14. Approximately $202 in cash stolen from Di La Bella Salon.

* The Zale Eye Center and the Brian McGue dentistry, across the street from each other in the 700 block of South Calumet Road, both entered through broken windows on or before Sept. 27.

CPD Det. Sgt. Chuck Rinker told the Chesterton Tribune today that Chesterton businesses aren’t the only ones currently being targeted. Something like 50 storefronts, restaurants, and offices have been burglarized in Porter County over the last several months.

Anyone with information about this or any of the other recent burglaries--or about the burglar himself--is urged to contact WeTip and submit an anonymous tip. Call (800) 782-7463 and be eligible for a reward.

 

Posted 11/3/2015

 
 
 
 

 

 

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