Popular bar broken into 2nd time this week; owner alleges serial burglars hitting small businesses
“It’s getting a little wild out here,” joked Quinn Allen, co-owner of Zenos, a popular neighborhood bar located at 384 W. 3rd Ave. He’s in good spirits although his bar has now been broken into twice in the same week, as well as the co-owner’s other bar, Quarry Co. Bar and Grill, owned by Quinn’s brother Mitch Allen and the owner of Meister’s Bar, Todd Meister.
614Now first reported on Monday that Zenos was burglarized on February 24 at 5:30 a.m., and we’re back to say that unfortunately, the same crew appears to have come back for a second round. They broke into the other glass panel on the door, then stole their entire ATM, ripping it out of the floor and putting it into their car. All in all, Quinn said it took the crew only two minutes from start to finish.
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After the second break-in at Zenos on Monday, the burglars then broke into Quarry Co. Bar and Grill, located at 3582 Trabue Rd., smashing the front door open, ripping the drawers out of the cash registers, and completely disabling their point-of-sales system.
“You don’t want to think it’s targeted…we treat our employees and guests like gold, so you’d hate to think so, but it’s random to hit those two bars in the same night,” Quinn explained.
While Zenos is up and running still, Quarry Co. had to shut down for a couple of days until their new cash registers are delivered.
Quinn believes that the recent burglaries around town are all connected. “This crew has been breaking in to multiple places over the last weeks that we know of, that stretch from South Columbus, up to Sawmill/270, and everywhere in between,” Quinn said.
The pictures from surveillance cameras appear to show the exact same burglars breaking into Zenos (twice), Quarry Co., Xpress Multiservice, plus a car wash on S. High St., where they stole $4,000 worth of coins, plus an ATV, according to the police report. A hair salon also appears to have been hit by the same burglars, according to Allen. The owner of Beer Zone confirmed that his shop was also broken into, where the burglars stole two cash registers as well as cigarettes. These all occurred this month, first starting on February 14.
“The same burglars seem to be targeting small businesses only. I’m hoping that all of the surveillance footage and prior police reports can get in front of the right set of eyes, so that someone can identify these guys,” Allen said. “If you are a business owner, make sure you’re limiting any cash on the premise to control your losses.”
If you know any information, or recognize the burglars from the footage, please contact Zenos and the police.
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