ITHACA, N.Y. — Police responded to a complaint reporting a series of burglaries in Dewitt Mall on Friday morning.
Multiple businesses in the mall reported damaged and stolen property within their stores overnight. Cafe DeWitt, Moosewood, and The Bookery were among the known businesses who were affected by the break-in.
Jack Goldman, owner of The Bookery, said whoever committed the crimes had allegedly entered the building through the basement, traveled through the basement corridor and came up the stairs to the ground floor of the building.
Goldman said he was called into his business around 9 a.m. after an employee had noticed the front panel on his office desk had been smashed in. The cash drawer had been accessed through the damaged desk and the entirety of the cash had been stolen, amounting to $125 dollars, he said.
Dave Dietrich, a co-owner of Moosewood, said he was also called in around 9 a.m. after the restaurant was found in disarray. Approximately $100 dollars in cash was allegedly stolen and Dietrich said the restaurant’s safe had also been damaged. He said that while the burglar was unable to access the contents of the safe, the damage left owners unable to open it.
“I’m quite relieved they didn’t cause more damage than they did,” Dietrich said, noting that the office in the restaurant had also been broken into. He also added that the building is covered by security camera footage which would help in identifying the burglar.
The Ithaca Police Department and employees of Cafe DeWitt were unable to be reached by press time.
This is a developing story.