LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A tough few days for two businesses in the Las Vegas Arts District as they assess the damage after being burglarized.
Shocking news spread through the Downtown Arts District as two popular businesses were broken into Thursday morning.
The first was at Tacotarian, a taco restaurant near Main and Charleston. The other location hit by thieves was Dig It! Coffee Co. which is a block away near Colorado Avenue.
“It’s really sad because someone broke our window, walked in, broke our POS, stole money, and then walked away.” Tacotarian Manager Miriam Cedeno said.
A POS is a term short for “point of sale,” a restaurant POS system is both the software and hardware restaurants use to take customers’ orders, accept payments, manage food inventory, and ultimately manage the entire operation.
Cedeno added that they only had about $10 in the cash drawer, but the more extensive damage occurred at the entryway.
“He pulled the register and the POS fell to the floor. The damage is over $2000 and now we have to fix our doors and it’s really hard for a small business like us,” she expressed.
Nearby at Dig It! Coffee Co. store owner Taylor Chaney said the same scenario took place at her establishment just hours later.
“We were able to access things and thankfully the door and the glass were the only things broken. Things were moved around and it looks like someone was searching for money and we’re a cashless shop so we didn’t have anything here,” Chaney said.
Those who live in the area said while crimes like that are ramping up across the valley it’s still unsettling.
“It’s your friends, it’s your neighbors getting their place vandalized and burglarized.
People are becoming more bold,” Gai Phanalasy who lives nearby said. “It’s like they see it happening on social media and there’s no consequences for it.”
Both shops have filed police reports since the break-ins and are already back open for business.