Harris County deputies are delving into what appears to be a series of targeted burglaries at multiple bars in Katy, with bar owners and customers on edge. At least two establishments reported break-ins, where gaming and vending machines were manhandled to their break points, and cash reserves inside spirited away. FOX 26 Houston highlighted that Skoltz Sports Bar & Grill faced the brunt of the burglaries, having been hit twice in a single morning. The first at an ungodly hour just before dawn, the second time not long after the day cracked its first light.
Cameras previously tampered with painted a silent tale, the bar's owner speaks of an premeditated attack, with days before the crime the suspicion lurking with security devices deliberately obscured, said FOX 26 Houston. A silver vehicle became the echo in these reports, linked to the scene of both Skoltz and another establishment, JJ's Bar, where the door was not just opened but cut into, and along with gaming machines, a safe was also taken under the cloak of early morning. The losses for JJ's Bar tallied up to an eye-watering $25,000.
Regulars are voicing their dismay, with one patron, Jennifer Arnold, telling FOX 26 Houston, "I think it’s just crazy for this community. This is such a tight-knit small community… I’ve never seen anything like this since I moved here," embodying the collective dismay and the sudden feeling of vulnerability that has spread across the tight-knit locals.
More establishments reported similar grievances, with the burglaries seemingly following a sinister blueprint occurrences not just crimes of opportunity, but premeditated acts, the owner of Skoltz Sports Bar & Grill Julie Scholten described the break-in at her establishment as an evidently planned operation, noting to KHOU that "He comes into the bar, smashing the eight-liners, and you can see the glass is going everywhere, and he takes the cash boxes out of there," the frustration palpable in her recollection. She witnessed the same method at 510 Bar off Mason Road, the thieves consistent in their methods, the bar owners united in their outrage and desire for justice.
As investigations unfold, law enforcement is piecing together the puzzle, the Harris County Sheriff's Office now knee-deep in gathering evidence and witness accounts. They encourage anyone with leads to step forward. Tips can be called into the Harris County Sheriff's Office Burglary and Theft Unit at 713-274-9200, as per KHOU.
