Break-ins at downtown businesses continue

Latest Kern County, California and US &amp; world news from 23ABC in Bakersfield, Calif.

Transcript

00:00 Happy and whole you is less the atmosphere for businesses in downtown

00:04 Bakersfield as they continue to see an uptick in crime. Happy Jacks located

00:08 here on 20th and G Street recently facing a break in the thief making off

00:13 with money that was earmarked for the Ronald McDonald House. Why take the

00:18 money and it's set there. Ronald McDonald. Every Monday, Happy Jacks

00:21 donates 100% of its proceeds to our local Ronald McDonald House, which

00:25 helps local families with sick Children in the hospital. Our favorite charity

00:29 hearing down and even throughout the week they accept donations, but

00:32 they're not immune to the ongoing crime hitting downtown businesses. Now this

00:36 is our fourth time and this time he actually came in. I mean the soda, the

00:41 chips, whatever you wanted, the little phone amplifier for the music that can

00:46 be replaced. But why do you take an envelope that's going to a good cause

00:52 on Sunday night? Their camera caught a hooded figure entering into Happy

00:55 Jacks. You can see him go behind the counter and begin rifling through

00:59 shelves.

00:59 Owner Francis Rosales said in the counter was an envelope with around $200

01:06 clearly marked for the Ronald McDonald House. I wasn't really surprised that

01:10 it happened. Happy Jacks wasn't the only business hit Sunday night. In fact,

01:14 right before it, the man was caught on video at the neighboring coffee shop

01:18 Supreme Bean outside footage showing him breaking through the drive through

01:21 window. Very concerning knowing that someone's watching us. We're always

01:25 having to look over our shoulder barista. Avery Yanni said this was

01:28 frightening to see because this was just minutes after the owner had

01:31 locked up and left Melanie Farmer with the downtown Business Association

01:35 wrote quote the D. B. A. Block to block governing committee earlier this month

01:39 met with city, county and state legislators to discuss the ongoing

01:43 problems businesses were experiencing. She continued to say it's time for a

01:47 change at the state level. I continue to hear more and more about people

01:51 having problems and it just seems like the situation is escalating the farther

01:56 along we get. I mean, I'm grateful that the BPD does show up when we need them,

02:00 but at the same time it doesn't seem like this issue is getting any better.

02:04 While the thief wasn't able to break into the safe at Supreme Bean, they did

02:07 make off with some merchandise and at Happy Jacks along with the stolen funds,

02:11 they were left with a busted door, but they're staying positive and continuing

02:15 their tradition of supporting the Ronald McDonald House. Those kids need

02:20 that money to help them when they're in the hospital. Now we've reached out to

02:24 city officials and Bakersfield police regarding some of the security programs

02:27 in place, but have not heard back as of news time. If you have any information

02:31 regarding these crimes, you're asked to call BPD at 327-7111. For 23 ABC News,

02:36 I'm Veronica Morley connecting you.