2 arrested in string of robberies at Carlsbad businesses
Tammy Knickerbocker was afraid to reopen for several days after her downtown shop Pistol Packin’ Cowgirls was robbed last Saturday.
She said the thieves broke in by punching out the lock on the front door, stealing the cash register and jewelry, and leaving the boutique in disarray. Knickerbocker said the perpetrators were caught on camera at about 4:30 a.m. March 16.
The store remained closed as Knickerbocker rebuilt.
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She reopened four days later on Wednesday, resolving to not let the setback and safety threat deter the business that had already survived the COVID-19 pandemic and stood as a popular, unique storefront since 2019 on Canyon Street in Carlsbad’s downtown area.
“It makes me wonder if people want me to stay here. It’s very violating. He didn’t just take the stuff. He took my sense of security,” Knickerbocker said of the burglar. “I have people say they don’t want me to close the doors. I have a hard time quitting. I’m going to persevere.”
The incident was part of a recent series of burglaries that led to an arrest, but left Carlsbad store owners fearful for the safety of their businesses.
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The Carlsbad Police Department on Wednesday announced its investigation into several commercial thefts throughout the city, seeking information from the public on the incidents. Robberies were reported at both chain restaurants and shops in the downtown area, and north side of the city.
KFC, Subway and Rent-A-Center were robbed on March 12, police said, followed by Pizza Hut on March 15, Pistol Packing Cowgirls March 16 and Zia Bike and Board Shop on March 18.
Two suspects were arrested Thursday, police said, after the investigation led to detectives to a vehicle parked at the National Parks Inn in the 3800 block of National Parks Highway.
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Carlsbad police tied the vehicle to the primary suspect in the robberies, leading them to their whereabouts, read a news release from the Carlsbad Police Department.
Police arrested the two suspects on a search warrant, determining they were responsible for at least six separate burglaries. Detectives also recovered some of the stolen property.
The identities of the suspects were withheld by police as of Thursday, as officials believe the investigation could connect with other reported incidents in the city.
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For Priscilla Sweet, store manager at Zia Bike and Board Shop, the robbery should mean an increased police presence in the area along Canyon Street and around its intersections with Mermod, Greene or Fox streets.
She said the thieves stole two electric bikes valued at $2,000 and $5,000 each, along with an $800 BMW bike. The pricier electric bike did not have the pedals attached and was apparently discarded nearby, Sweet said, allowing the shop to recover it.
Sweet said the incident was frustrating for her as the owner of a business in the highly trafficked downtown area she thought was safe.
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“If this continues, I’m going to close,” Sweet said. “It’s just not worth it. All they (the thieves) are doing is costing people money. This place should be safe because there’s a lot of traffic. It’s discouraging.”
But besides the monetary impacts to her business Sweet said the burglaries made it difficult to trust the public and visitors to her shop.
“When people come in, you just don’t’ know who they are,” she said. “It ruins everything for everyone because we’re the only bike shop in town. What are we supposed to do?”
Anyone with information on the thefts was asked to contact the Carlsbad Police Department's Detective Division or submit tips to Eddy County CrimeStoppers at 575-887-1888, toll free at 884-786-7227 or online at eddycountycrimestoppers.com and on Crimestoppers' mobile app "P3 Tips."
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Carlsbad business owners on edge after string of burglaries
