Three businesses in an East Islip shopping center were broken into overnight, leaving owners shaken and police searching for the thief who made off with thousands of dollars in cash.
When Guillermo Guardado arrived at his restaurant, El Café, Monday morning, he found the front door pried open.
“The door was busted open,” he said, adding that the thief cracked open the machine.
El Café was one of three businesses hit in the same strip on East Main Street. Roberto Solano, owner of Mr. Tech Bench, said roughly $4,000 was taken from his store.
“It feels very bad. I feel unsafe and not comfortable anymore,” Solano said.
South Shore Deli was also burglarized.
“When I found out it was us and the whole strip of stores, it was kind of upsetting,” said owner Meredith Schwamb. “It makes me think someone’s been watching.”
Suffolk County detectives spent the day gathering surveillance video from the shopping center in hopes of identifying a suspect.