SERIAL BURGLARIES AFFLICT FARMERY
Struck 10 times in 3 weeks, frustrated businesses seek help
Green Jeans shipping container retail development struck 10 times in three weeks.
Early Sunday morning, Rockin’ Tacos was burglarized marking the 10th time in about three weeks that a Green Jeans Farmery business has been hit by the same thief, according to business owners. Green Jeans Farmery is a shipping-container development on Cutler Avenue that opened last year. Each of the 12 businesses that operate there is locally owned.
Sunday morning’s surveillance footage showed two men breaking into Rockin’ Taco at roughly three in the morning and then staying in the Farmery for an hour before walking away.
Jamie Young, owner of Rockin’ Taco, said the burglary seemed like an inevitability. One of the two men attempted to break into Rockin’ Taco with a screwdriver on June 28 but was unsuccessful.
He was, however, successful at breaking into Amore Neapolitan Pizzeria for the second time in three weeks. Surveillance camera footage captured each incident, and the same thief was responsible, according to Gabriel Amador, owner of Amore.
Green Jeans business owners said they have identified the thief through camera footage and reported him to the police. So far, no arrest has been made.
While the restaurants and shops at Green Jeans have taken steps recently to stop the burglaries, including adding security windows, Amador said he is frustrated. “We handed this guy to the police on a silver platter three weeks ago. Please arrest him.”
APD spokesman Simon Drobik told the Journal that although police have seen the surveillance footage, Green Jeans has so far been unable to get the department a copy.
Merchants have been told that it is “difficult, if not impossible to burn a copy from the surveillance system,” Young said.
Drobik said police are “very aware of the situation” and that the impact detective for that area is investigating. He did not say whether they have a suspect.
The burglar took a small amount of cash and, in some cases even the registers themselves from both Amore and Rockin’ Taco.
Amador’s frustration has driven him to put his plans for expansion on hold. “Honestly, I am just not sure that I want to invest more in Albuquerque,” Amador said.
Roy Solomon, the developer and owner of Green Jeans told the Journal through email, “Please APD, you have the (person’s) name, you have him on video, you know where he hangs out and you know where he buys his drugs. Arrest him! And a note to the city ... hire more cops!”