Trio of burglars target Lake County businesses, deputies say

Windows smashed, cash stolen

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies said they are investigating a string of burglaries this week at several businesses in Lake County.

Three people broke into Domino's Pizza and the Laptop Repair Service Center, both located in a strip plaza on U.S. Highway 441 in Eustis, early Tuesday morning. A $1,000 laptop was stolen. The men also tried to take a cash register from Domino's Pizza but were unsuccessful, a news release said.

Also on Tuesday morning, Tavares police said they responded to a burglary at Firehouse Subs located at 2712 East Burleigh Boulevard during which three men entered the business around 3 a.m. and unsuccessfully tried to take the cash register.

Papa John's Pizza in Mount Dora was also targeted Tuesday morning by a trio of men who shattered the front glass and stole cash, according to a news release.

Deputies said they believe all four burglaries are connected. They also said they believe the same men are responsible for burglaries at a Jersey Mike's Subs in Mount Dora on July 1 and July 15.

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Cash was stolen in both of those instances, officials said.

The unidentified men are believed to have used a four-door, dark-colored sedan in the burglaries, deputies said.

Lake County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jim Vachon said law enforcement officials in the area are working together to make arrests before any more businesses are targeted.

"The fact that they are breaking and entering all these businesses and causing all the damage, it's distressing in a lot of ways, but we really want to get these guys off the streets," Vachon said.

The owner of Laptop Repair Service said that even with security at his shop, it's nearly impossible to prevent break ins because burglars are often quick and cover their faces.

"I'm honestly waiting to see what the police are going to do about it because I can't do anything," Jairo Huertas said. "Sometimes I feel like I just want to close down and get it over with and do something else because it's happening more often."

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

"That's the biggest part, somebody knows who these guys are and with a phone call can solve these cases for us, but either way we are trying our best to get them off the streets," Vachon said.


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