Three-Day Burglary Spree Hits Rancatore's and Teppanyaki

Police are investigating a series of burglaries at a downtown ice cream shop and a nearby Asian restaurant, after more than $1,650 was stolen from the businesses over the course of three nights, police said.

Capt. Manny Ferro said police are looking for at least two males believed to be involved in the burglaries, which occurred at Rancatore's Ice Cream and Yogurt and Teppanyaki Asian Cuisine.

The first instance happened in the early-morning hours of Friday, Aug. 20, when a person or persons entered Rancatore's, at the corner of Mass Avenue and Waltham Street, and took $675 cash from the register, said police Lt. Robert Simmons. There was no sign of forced entry.

The next day, during the early-morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 21, Rancatore's was broken into again, and $1,000 cash was taken from the register, Simmons said.

Access to the ice cream shop was gained that night after a windowpane in a side door was smashed, and the door was able to be unlocked, said Rancatore's owner Joe Rancatore.

A third attempt to rob Rancatore's came early on Sunday, Aug. 22. Police conducting surveillance near the ice cream shop saw a potential break-in, including attempts to kick the door open, Simmons said. Two windowpanes in two doors were also broken that night.

Police chased the would-be intruders, but did not catch them, Simmons said. A Bedford Street resident reported at 2:53 a.m. that someone was crouched by their car, trying to get into it. Simmons said it was possibly a suspect hiding after being chased from Rancatore's by police.

While the attempt at Rancatore's was not successful Sunday, Teppanyaki Asian Cuisine, a Waltham Street restaurant several doors down from Rancatore's, reported a break-in occurred early Sunday morning, through a broken rear window. An undisclosed amount of money was taken from the register, Simmons said.

All four incidents are believed to be related, Simmons said.

At Rancatore's on Monday, owner Joe Rancatore said the shop's lock systems were being changed, and a security system was being installed. He said he's pleased nobody was hurt, and that the shop was empty of employees at the time of the break-ins.

"It could have been far worse," he said.

Rancatore said deadbolts put in place after the Saturday morning burglary likely prevented access to the shop during the Sunday morning break-in attempt.

"Obviously they liked what they saw the first night, and came back a second and third time," he said. "The third night, everything was secured and deadbolted – there was no way to get in."

At Teppanyaki Asian Cuisine, a manager said Monday the break-in there occurred between 2 and 4 a.m. on Sunday morning, and called the cash taken from the register "not a large amount."