Three small businesses on Indianapolis' north side were left sweeping up glass before sunrise Friday after a set of early-morning break-ins at Augusta Plaza near Westlane and Michigan roads.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were called to the strip mall around 3:45 a.m. on reports that multiple storefronts had been forced open. Business owners said surveillance footage captured masked suspects moving through at least one shop, and crews were seen documenting damage across the plaza. No arrests had been announced as detectives canvassed the area Friday.
IMPD, Owners Describe The Scene
According to WTHR, police say three reported burglaries at Augusta Plaza happened at about 3:45 a.m., damaging Rosa's All Day Cafe, El Rey grocery and Cowboy's Western Wear.
Business owners told investigators that roughly $100 was taken from the register at Rosa's and about $175 was stolen from El Rey, WTHR reports. The owner of Rosa's shared security video that appeared to show two people wearing black masks moving around inside during the break-in. A 13News crew that visited the plaza later found shattered glass at all three storefronts.
How To Help Detectives
IMPD is asking anyone with information or surveillance footage from around Augusta Plaza to contact investigators or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana. Detectives say quick tips and clear video can be critical for identifying suspects and connecting the dots between cases.
Neighbors who want to keep an eye on the investigation can review incident reports and district-level updates on the department’s public dashboard and transparency pages, available through the IMPD Transparency Hub.
Why Strip Malls Are Easy Targets
Local reporting has highlighted a pattern of garage and storefront break-ins across Indianapolis as temperatures climb, a trend detailed in a recent WRTV investigation.
The leasing brochure for Augusta Plaza lists heavy daily traffic counts along Michigan Road and Westlane Road, which can translate to busy days followed by very quiet parking lots overnight. The property is identified in the brochure at 2800 Westlane Road in Indianapolis. Property managers and business owners say glass-fronted shops that keep cash in registers remain tempting targets once the lights go out.
Owners at the plaza said they are reviewing their security measures and coordinating with police while crews repair the damage. WTHR reported that it had reached out to IMPD for comment.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or use IMPD’s nonemergency channels and to reference the Augusta Plaza burglaries so investigators can match up new leads with the existing reports.
