String of burglaries in Thomson leaves four restaurants damaged, cash drawers missing
THOMSON, Ga. (WJBF) – Four businesses along Washington Road in Thomson reported break-ins Saturday morning, March 30.
According to McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office, “we do believe the break-ins are related from evidence at the scenes.”
Saturday, a burglary was reported at Tasty Wings and Seafood at 1783 Washington Road NW in Thomson at 5:31 a.m. after a security alarm was activated. Responding deputies found the glass in the front door of the business had been kicked out and the register drawers removed from the business.
Surveillance video showed a male suspect kicking out the glass of the front door.
At 6:03 a.m., less than an hour later, McDuffie County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to the Dunkin’ breakfast and coffee shop located at 1767 Washington Road after the employee opening the store found several missing or misplaced items – first, the employee noticed that the lock box code compartment was open and, while prepping for the store to open, found the drive-thru cash register drawer was missing, along with the drive-thru window – at this point, the employee saw that the cash register drawer in the dining room was missing.
Investigating deputies found that the drive-thru sliding glass had been completely removed from the frame and tossed, along with the frame, alongside the business.
The theft was believed to have occurred as early as 4:50 a.m.
While making patrols of the area at 7:35 a.m., a McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant noticed that the drive-thru window at the Dairy Queen at 1728 Washington Road had been broken into. The sergeant noticed that the cash drawer from the drive-thru window was missing – as employees and management began arriving at the restaurant, all four registers had been had been broken into.
Surveillance video showed that a male suspect using a chrome pry bar to remove one of the drive-thru windows – both windows had been damaged.
Finally, at 9:19 a.m., deputies were called to 1530 Washington Road to Viva Villa where the owner found that someone had entered the restaurant after hours by breaking the lower half of the locked glass front door.
Surveillance video at this location also showed a suspect wearing a balaclava hood to cover their head and face, as well as wearing gloves, a long-sleeve light-colored shirt, with long pants and shoes with reflective material on the back.
In the video, the suspect is seen using a long prying tool to break into the restaurant.
The incident is believed to have occurred as early as 1:46 a.m.
All four restaurants are along a length of Washington Road in Thomson less than a mile long.
The incidents are believed to be connected, according to the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office – at this time, though, no suspect information is available for release.
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