A slew of business burglaries in Roswell has the community on edge. Early Monday morning, thieves struck several establishments, including Taco Takeout, 4 Season Wings, a jewelry store, and even a coffee shop. The break-ins all occurred within a few miles of each other. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the owner of Taco Takeout, Miguel Torres, reported an $800 theft executed so swiftly that the culprits were "in and out in just a minute." Expressing his concern, "We don't feel safe anymore there, and that's the problem when these things happen. It's not the financial cost, but how the community is affected by the bad people."
In a separate yet grave matter, a Roswell spa owner is facing serious charges over an alleged sex trafficking ring. The owner of IRIS Massage on Holcomb Bridge Road has been charged with felony trafficking a person for labor servitude and other related offenses, as reported by 11Alive. Employees recounted the horror of being made to work long hours under threat, live on premises without transportation, and being coerced into providing sexual services, or else facig penalties. As one employee disclosed, when they resisted engaging in sexual activities, the spa owner would coldly assert, “you need to keep the customer happy.”
The Roswell Police Department is busy grappling with these crimes and their impact on the community. They are investigating if the string of business break-ins are interconnected and have revealed similar incidents in other cities. They are extending their probe by collaborating with other police departments to determine if there is a broader pattern at play. Following the burglaries, the Roswell police are calling on anyone with information to come forward.
Meanwhile, despite being the subject of a police raid back in September, IRIS Massage appeared unphased and was reportedly back in business shortly thereafter. Remarkably detailed, warrants stated that explicit online content tied the spa to illicit services and that employees were found unlicensed and essentially trapped living on site. The spa owner, recently bonded with strict restrictions and an ankle monitor, has a hearing scheduled for February 2, 2024, while the businesses affected by the burglaries face a difficult road to restoring a sense of security among the shaken local populace.
