Early Thursday morning, the workday at Woodlawn's Security Plaza Shopping Center started with sirens and sweeping instead of customers, after four small businesses were hit in a quick burst of break-ins that left front doors smashed and glass across the sidewalks. The overnight targets included a restaurant, a grocery, a catering business, and a florist.
Surveillance video obtained by WBAL-TV shows a person moving methodically along the strip, shattering front glass doors at multiple storefronts within minutes. In the footage, one individual uses a chair to pound through a restaurant door, then takes a cash register, while another break-in shows a rock used to smash into a grocery store. WBAL-TV identified the affected businesses as Meat n Feast, Al Wahid Foods, Twins Catering, and Blooming Treasure. Baltimore County police did not immediately release suspect descriptions and told WBAL that detectives with the Burglary Unit are investigating.
"We missed our working day. We missed our morning crowd, our lunch crowd," said Sam Betker, who told WBAL-TV he owns both Meat n Feast and Al Wahid Foods. Betker said alarms and cameras did not stop the suspect, and one of his stores stayed closed for half a day while employees cleaned up shattered glass and tried to tally what was lost.
Police response and what owners can do
Baltimore County police have not named any suspects, and the case is now in the hands of detectives from the county's Burglary Unit, who are asking anyone with video or tips to come forward. County materials note that Burglary Unit detectives routinely rely on surveillance footage and public tips when piecing together break-in cases, and they urge business owners to save any relevant video. Baltimore County Police provides guidance on preserving video and reporting suspicious activity.
Small-business impact
Owners say the quick smash-and-grab not only wrecked their doors, but it wiped out a busy day of sales and piled repair costs on top of already tight margins for neighborhood shops. Anyone with information or surveillance footage from the area is asked to contact Baltimore County police so detectives can follow up.
