MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Surveillance video shows the dramatic moments burglars smashed windows with a baseball bat, stole money from cash registers, and scampered away early Monday morning during a string of break-ins targeting four Bethesda, Maryland, businesses.
Montgomery County Police Department officials said these four burglaries happened in the early morning hours Monday, July 20, on the 7800 and 7900 blocks of Old Georgetown Road.
Surveillance video of one of the four Bethesda business break-ins.
In each of the surveillance videos provided to 7News, you see two masked burglars smash their way into the stores, and exit within seconds.
One video shows the two suspects attempting to take the entire cash register, with one of them slipping on the debris.
In that same video, you can hear the driver in the getaway car honk the horn, and the two suspects run out of the nail salon.
Praneet Aryal is the owner of Lilit Cafe, one of the businesses that was hit.
Surveillance video of one of the four Bethesda business break-ins.
“We found out when we first got here. We just saw the glass shattered everywhere and it was a mess everywhere. We were just surprised. Didn’t expect anything like that to happen,” Aryal said.
Aryal said the burglars took his entire cash register, which had around $1,000 in it.
He said replacing the shattered window cost another $2,000.
“We’re a small business, a family-owned business, so it means a lot to us. It’s a big hit for us to take, especially just out of nowhere like that,” Aryal said.
Police are asking anyone with information to call them.
In the meantime, Aryal said this burglary spree has made him more vigilant.
“We’re definitely a bit more on-edge and just more aware of everything now,” Aryal said. “It’s really disheartening and frustrating for us, too, to have to go through.”
