Two thieves broke into Connections in Cruz Bay early Sunday morning, but in spite of their efforts, they netted less than the price of a round-trip ferry ticket to St. Thomas.
Cid Hamling, owner of Connections, said video surveillance showed that two young men picked up heavy rocks and threw them through the door of the St. John communications center shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday.
“They came in, opened all the drawers and cabinets. We saw it all on camera. They took about $12 out of the tip cup and the donation jar for the Animal Care Center. The police have fingerprints.”
The burglars, who pulled their T-shirts over their faces, made multiple trips in and out of the building at a prominent corner of Cruz Bay between 4:14 and 4: 46 a.m., according to Hamling. Apparently, no one noticed the smashed door or the ringing alarm until staff from a neighboring restaurant arrived for the morning shift.
Hamling said she was not surprised that no one heard the alarm because of its location inside the building.
“I like to say, ‘Out of bad events good things happen,’” Hamling said. “The ‘good thing’ was the community response. Matt Gyuraki and Sarah Hanson from Love City Community Network upstairs found a piece of plexiglass to replace the glass on the door. Dan Boyd helped out. So did Theordora (Moorehead, who owns the building) –really there were too many to name. We got a lot of love and support.”
Connections was the second Cruz Bay business to be burgled within a week. The St. John police blotter said Alfredo’s Landscaping was broken into and a fire was set on May 7.
According to the blotter, alarms were reported activated at the Marketplace on May 12 and the Elaine I. Sprauve Library on Sunday.
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