Subway, Sharps Liquor and Lovely Nails, three businesses at the Flagler Plaza Shopping Center on State Road 100 in Palm Coast , were all burglarized early Monday morning as thieves shattered the stores’ glass front doors and in one case may have tampered with cash registers.
Soon after responding to the attack at Flagler Plaza, deputies received another call dispatching them to the shopping center on Utility Drive, off of Old Kings Road, where a similar attack was reported: the front doors or windows of five businesses were shattered. The businesses were Europa Salon and Spa, Scrapbook etc., Pet Spa, Colletti’s Italian Deli and Lilly Green Children’s Boutique.
At the State 100 location, it appears that the attacks on the store were a case of vandalism rather than thievery in at least two of the stores, as those two stores (Subway and Lovely Nails) did not report anything verifiably stolen, and the insides of the two stores showed no evidence that they had been penetrated by whoever shattered the glass.
Units of the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene soon enough after the burglaries that one of the deputies reported hearing the sound of falling glass as he parked his cruiser on the east side of the plaza.
“It appears that all three of the above businesses were burglarized simultaneously,” one of the police reports states.
At Subway, there were shoe prints along the counter, and “it appeared that items near the cash register were tampered with,” a police report states.
The Sharps owner was unable to determine whether anything was missing, once at the scene, but he was making a surveillance video available later in the day.
At Lovely Nails, the left door of the business had a large circular shaped crack mark in the window, and the right front door was completely broken out, according to a police report. “Once inside the business, it appeared that nothing inside was rummaged through and the cash register was intact with a layer of dust on it and no visible fingerprints.” Contact was made with the store owner. She made a walk-through of the property and said nothing was missing. The money had been taken out the evening before by store employees.
Canvassing the area produced no results, and the sheriff’s office had no suspects.
Anyone with information on these burglaries is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (386) 586-4801 or Crimestoppers at 1-888-277-TIP (7477). You may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for tips leading to an arrest.
Truth of the matter says
So, let me see if I understand this correctly, if you run a changing traffic light they can read your license plate and then send you a fine in the mail. On the other hand, you can vandalize eight store fronts in two different shopping plazas costing thousands of dollars in damage, and there are no cameras ?
First of all says
Sheriff Manfre has gutted the Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol and their ability to patrol because of a drastic reduction in ranks. All patrol officers have gps monitoring devices in their cars….Where were they during these robberies? It’s public record. There were no calls during these times. If you are a citizen in Flagler County get ready…with a greatly reduced Sheriff’s office and low moral among the cops….CRIME WILL RISE!
Spuds says
Nothing was taken…All the glass was broken simultaneously. One of the deputies reported hearing the sound of falling glass. Sounds like the work of a eight footed human who’s invisible. You know, their out their !!!
BUSINESS OWNER UTILITY DR says
There are cameras on the front of the building. This isn’t the first time this has happened. The thieves conceal their faces and method of getting away. Bottom line if someone is desperate enough, they’re going to do what they want to get what they want no matter what. Unless the camera is monitored it’s after the fact and the damage is already done.
Magnolia says
Will? I think we’re already seeing it. And if it continues, say goodbye to new businesses moving to Palm Coast. If Manfre cannot do the job, let’s put someone in who can. Knowing where those cars were is a legitimate question.
Gia says
We’ve got more & more vermin That’s the problem.
The Truth says
If there were cameras there, then all the conspiracy theorists would be crying that “big brother is watching us” and pitching a fit because of it.
Girl says
I agree just like it did the last time he was the Top/cop… certain things don’t change.. sad….
Susan says
Probably teenagers with nothing better to do and a lack of supervision by parent(s)…! And before you say, “Oh, no, not MY kid…” think again…if you don’t know precisely where your kid was when this happened…ask some questions.
Magnolia says
Business Owner: If this is happening frequently, might be time to request extra patrols at night or maybe hire somebody for nighttime security. Good luck. This is terrible.
Just a thought says
What does one have to do with the other? Do you think the city should put cameras in front of every store in Palm Coast? The fact is the traffic lights are mostly the city’s responsibility while the businesses are private property.
Geezer says
In Jacksonville (in the late 90’s) there was a rash off BB gun attacks on car windows.
Turned out to be a new-in-town glass shop owner, paying local vandals to blow out the windows.
BUSINESS OWNER UTILITY DR says
Magnolia, Utility Dr. is where most State Troopers as well as Fire Trucks and Deputies gas up 24 hours a day. This isn’t a Law Enforcement problem this a criminal citizen problem. Since you have it all figured out why don’t you become volunteer “nighttime security” get some tights and call yourself “STEEL MAGNOLIA”.
Nancy N. says
I suspect a gang initiation of some kind was at work here.
confidential says
Sheriff Manfre and his crew are doing the best law enforcement work there was in the last 8.5 years. That includes our marine patrol at work as we can see them now finally enforcing the law in our water ways as we saw it last Sunday while kayaking in the Intracoastal. Regarding these businesses vandalized, is very difficult to catch vandals in the act. They will be caught sooner or later, if we all work together with our deputies. Now after a long time we really have deputies patrolling and answering our calls. My deepest appreciation to our current Sheriff Department!! Kudos for the good work!
Bubba says
Hey, I need a job. Hire me to stay in the store all night and give me permission to shot the SOB that breaks in. This is a WIN WIN for Flagler County ! I make a salary and Flagler County gets more taxes.
FCSO PIO says
Flagler County has been divided by the Sheriff’s Office into 2 Service Districts, Palm Coast and Western Flagler County. Each Service District is then sub-divided into zones and sectors.
On July 29th, each of the zones/sectors where these commercial burglaries occurred were staffed according to agency guidelines.
In the Flagler Regional Plaza incidents, the 1st deputy arrived on-scene 3 minutes and 31 seconds after being dispatched.
In the Utility Drive incidents, the 1st deputy arrived on-scene 1 minute and 24 seconds after being dispatched.
We believe at the response times by our deputies in both of these incidents was exceptional.