Guelph Police investigating multiple restaurant break-ins believed to be related

Guelph Police are looking to identify a suspect linked to four restaurant break-ins investigators believe are related.

Police were called to a business near Woodlawn Road West and Imperial Road North around 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Police said their investigation revealed a male had allegedly smashed a glass door with a sledgehammer before prying a small safe out of place and dragging it outside. Officers located the damaged, but unopened safe a short distance away.

Just after 9 a.m., police responded to a business near Elmira Road North and Woodlawn Road West where staff reported finding a smashed glass door when they arrived. Video showed a male arriving at the business at 5:46 a.m. and using a hammer to smash the door. Cash was stolen.

Police are also investigating two break-ins at businesses in a plaza near Gordon Street and Harvard Road.

At 7:45 a.m., police said staff from a business called the police to report hearing glass breaking and seeing someone inside another closed business nearby. Officers responded to the area but said the suspect had already left. A small safe was reported stolen. In this incident, police said the suspect got inside by smashing a front window.

Four hours later, staff from a different business in the plaza arrived to find a rear door has been pried open and cash was stolen.

The suspect in each of these incidents was described as a male wearing a hoodie, grey track pants, a baseball cap with Louis Vuitton pattern, a Reebok backpack, gloves and a face mask.

Anyone with information is asked to call Guelph police at 519-824-1212, ext. 7125.

Neighbouring businesses now 'on guard'

Kenny Ho, who owns one of the restaurants that was broken into, said it’s the first time his business was targeted in six years.

“I had two missed calls from private numbers and I went to go check the messages and one of them was a police officer,” Ho explained.

When he pulled up to work, he noticed a police presence. Then he noticed the restaurant’s front door was destroyed.

He said the suspect threw a rock through the glass door to gain access.

“There was a little bit of cash that was in our safe and they managed to get away with that, unfortunately,” he said. “We are talking with our insurance companies to see what they can do to help us.”

He said other neighbouring businesses are now on guard, hoping to prevent something similar from happening to them.

“They’re worried that their businesses are potentially targeted. Obviously, it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be to get into the front door,” Ho said.