Suffolk County police are searching for a group accused of damaging and stealing from two popular beach businesses on Long Island, in an overnight crime spree that was caught on camera. Investigators say two suspects are behind the incidents, which unfolded in the early hours of Sunday and have since prompted an appeal for the public's help.
The main scene of the spree was Bodie's Beach Shack. According to police, a group of males damaged a golf cart, knocked down a fence and stole keys from the waterfront business at around 3 on Sunday morning, leaving behind a trail of damage at the popular seaside spot.
The business itself captured part of what happened. Bodie's released surveillance video showing one of the suspects behind the bar, appearing to grab at something, footage that the owners hope will help authorities identify who was responsible for the break-in.
The trouble was not confined to a single property. Across the street, a second business, Beachside Suites, released two of its own surveillance videos documenting the group's movements that same night as they made their way through the waterfront area.
The first of those clips shows several people trying to punch the front door before dispersing, at around 2:50 in the morning, roughly ten minutes before the incident captured on the Bodie's video. A second clip shows one of the individuals grabbing a trash can and hurling it at the door of the business.
In the aftermath, both businesses turned to social media to appeal for help. They posted the footage online and asked the public to help identify those involved, and Bodie's went a step further, offering a $500 gift card to anyone who can properly identify the group.
Police, too, are leaning on the community. Suffolk County police said they are asking for the public's help as they work to track down the group behind the vandalism and theft, hoping that the widely shared surveillance images will lead them to the suspects.