Employees at a plastic surgery business in Bedford Park are hoping police can find the people responsible for stealing a safe containing 85,000 dollars. The theft has left the business shaken, and investigators are now appealing to the public for help in identifying those involved. Newly released video and images show some of the individuals police believe are behind the crime.
According to police, the break-in took place inside the store, where several people broke in and stole the safe in late May. The newly released images and video are intended to help the public recognise the suspects, who police believe were responsible for breaking in and making off with the money in the early morning hours.
The timing of the crime was precise. Police believe the break-in happened at around 3:30 in the morning, when the business was closed and empty. That early hour allowed those responsible to work without interruption as they targeted the hidden safe and the cash inside it.
Almost two weeks later, the physical mark left by the theft is still visible. A hole in the wall where the safe once sat remains, a reminder of how the money was taken. Employees said the safe had been hidden inside the wall in one of the building's rooms, and that the wall was broken through and the safe removed.
Police say the theft happened on May 31st at 74 East 205th Street. The specific location and date have become anchors for the investigation, as detectives work to trace the movements of those captured in the released footage and to establish exactly how the break-in unfolded.
What has unsettled employees most is how much the perpetrators appeared to know. They believe whoever was responsible knew the safe existed, knew where it was located, and had access to the codes needed to get into the room. One employee described being stuck and stunned on first hearing the news, asking who could have done this and who would have done something like this.
The reaction has extended into the surrounding community, where people in Bedford Park said they feel for the business and hope those responsible are caught. One resident said they felt bad for the store owner, who they said did not deserve that type of treatment, and called for the money to be returned as soon as possible. Police are encouraging anyone who recognises the people in the images to reach out to Crimestoppers, and say the investigation remains active.