WYOMING, Mich. — The same individuals may not have committed them all, but recent cell phone store burglaries have at least one thing in common: The thieves usually break a glass door with a rock to get inside.
“This is our second store in five days,” said Matt Bradley, Sprint district manager. “They are breaking through the doors with a rock.”
The break in at a Sprint store in Wyoming early Thursday morning was the thirteenth west Michigan cell phone store burglary in three weeks.
On Aug. 16 police arrested three teenagers who they say broke into the AT&T store in the Woodland Mall.
“Approximately $20,000 in merchandise was stolen,” said Kentwood Police Captain Bryan Litwin.
But even with three suspects in custody, the cell phone store burglaries continue.
“Well aware of all the other cell phone store burglaries that have been going on in the Kent and Ottawa County areas,” said Eric Wiler of the Wyoming Police Department. “ [We are] working with them to see if there is any connection of ours with theirs.”
But other than the rocks used to gain entry, investigators say they have not found a connection.
“We don't have any information that shows us they are connected.” Confirms Captain Bryan Litwin of the Kentwood Police Department.
To make their businesses less appealing to burglars, managers at cell phone stores say they are locking up expensive inventory and making sure devices left on display have relatively little value.
“We take every precaution we can,” Bradley said. “Anything of value we pull off the floor. It is unfortunate but it is part of the business.”
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