Cops warn Bayside businesses about burglars

After a string of restaurant and store break-ins this past month, police are advising Bayside business owners to beef up security - install high-resolution cameras, hook up security alarms, and not keep large amounts of cash inside their shops.
In each of six cases since Wednesday, April 11, burglars have forced their way into eateries and establishments through the backs of the businesses, sometimes prying open back doors or vents and, in another instance, breaking a glass pane to gain access.
“It’s much easier to go around the back where no one can see you,” said Police Officer Bill Conway, the 111th Precinct’s Community Affairs officer, advising owners to train cameras on possible rear entries.
Far too often, he said, businesses have “scarecrow” cameras that are not hooked up, or record such poor resolution images that police cannot identify burglars.
“What you’ll see is a blur breaking through the doors,” Conway said.
Most recently, Foxfield’s, at 208-11 35th Avenue, was robbed on the morning of Saturday, April 21 between 5 and 8:30 a.m. After prying open the back door, thieves took approximately $3,500 from a safe that was broken into, and $500 from a cash box.
The day before, New Reiss Cleaners, 205-05 35th Avenue, and 35th Avenue Nails, 205-07 35th Avenue, were robbed sometime between 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 19 and 7 a.m. on Friday, April 20. Burglars broke in through a vent on the wall and made off with $280 in cash from the cleaners. The nail salon owners did not know if anything was missing.
In addition, three days earlier, $2,000 was taken from Press 195, located at 40-11 Bell Boulevard.
Within a two-day span - Wednesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 12 - two bars, the Alley Park Tavern and the Emerald Pub, were both robbed. The thieves got away with only $100 from the Emerald Tavern, located at 183-01 Horace Harding Expressway, but $10,000 in cash and checks was taken from the Alley Park Tavern, located at 224-07 Union Turnpike. At the Alley Park tavern, burglars also removed security tapes that might have recorded them breaking into the bar.
Police are looking into whether the robberies are related.