Burglars Hit Six Bayside Businesses This Weekend: NYPD

BAYSIDE, QUEENS -- The NYPD is investigating a string of break-ins reported by Bayside businesses along Bell Boulevard over the weekend, police told Patch.

Police have yet to determine whether six commercial burglaries reported along Bell Boulevard this weekend are connected, an NYPD spokeswomen told Patch. The burglaries all took place between Saturday evening and early Monday morning within 38th and 42nd Avenues, police say.

The first break-in happened at Paradise Furniture sometime after 10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, police said. Unknown perpetrators broke in through the rear door of the store at 42-02 Bell Blvd. and stole $1,000 worth of tools.

A break-in at Bb's Packaging and Shipping, located at 42-06A Bell Blvd., was reported next on Nov. 19 at around 10 a.m. Police said someone kicked in the rear door, stole $600 and fled.

Police said neighboring businesses Michael's Place Salon and Tanko Japanese Fusion both reported break-ins that evening sometime after 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively. Police said someone broke into the salon at 38-07 through the rear door but stole nothing. Perpetrators entered the neighboring restaurant at 38-05 Bell Blvd. through the back door and stole $500, authorities said.

On Nov. 20, Sterling Pharmacy, at 38-01 Bell Blvd., and H&R Block, at 42-04 Bell Blvd. both reported backdoor break-ins at around 7 a.m., police said. Someone broke into Sterling Pharmacy , stealing more than $3,000 in cash and swiping prescription pills like codeine and viagra from the shelves, an NYPD spokeswoman said. Nothing was reported stolen from H&R Block.

The NYPD spokeswoman said while the burglaries appear to be a pattern, officers are waiting on detectives to make that call.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477).

Lead photo via Patch.