The San Marino Café and Marketplace was burglarized on Dec. 30 by an intruder who triggered the alarm and forced entry by breaking through the front glass door.
The San Marino Police Department arrived on the scene only minutes after the alarm sounded, with owner Linda Grace meeting them there soon after. Sgt. Naved Qureshi told the Tribune that police determined the suspect opened the register to take cash, but it was empty. Nothing was taken from the business.
After racing over to her business and finding shattered glass everywhere, Grace put out a heartfelt message to the community.
She penned an open call asking for words of hope to be written on the boarded up doorframe, and the community answered. One author wrote: “Glass breaks, not our spirit.”
This sentiment rang true to Grace, who said this was not the first time her business, which opened in 2017, has been broken into. At the height of the pandemic, a safe was stolen.
Ironically, during this most recent break in, a red envelope with money that was a gift from a customer last Lunar New Year was found on the counter untouched. The same was the case with origami made from dollar bills, a kind-hearted and creative gesture from another customer who likes to leave tips in this way.
Though Grace has been in a similar position before, thankfully this time with fewer losses, it didn’t make the experience any less shocking. She recalled trying to hold back tears in the moment.
“It is very violating,” Grace said. “There’s not much you can do. It feels awful, but there’s something bigger. There’s something broken. … I feel really badly for the people who do this. Los Angeles has a huge problem right now with crime and homelessness, but whether we want it or not, we’re all part of it. I don’t know what the solutions are. I’m not a politician, I’m just a business owner really just trying to navigate through a very difficult time — not only a tough economy, but also these types of incidents.”
Grace said the burglary at her business is just one of thousands that have taken place across Los Angeles County. In fact, she knew of two other break-ins that happened on the very same day in cities neighboring San Marino.
“This is not an isolated incident,” she said. “There’s a serious problem going on. And San Marino, as wonderful as it is and I have so much gratitude for the San Marino Police Department, we’re not immune to burglaries.”
When she posted about the crime on social media, Grace said she was flooded with fellow business owners sharing their similar experiences.
But Grace and her team at the San Marino Café did not let the break-in deter them from serving their customers.
Café employee Fatima Espinoza recalled seeing Grace cleaning up glass when she arrived for her shift later the same morning of the burglary. The team rallied to continue to feed San Marino, she said.
“We all just kind of came together, talked about it for a bit, let our feelings out and then got straight back to work,” Espinoza said. “Life goes on, and a little break-in wasn’t going to stop us.”
Added Grace: “My team is incredible. We are going into our seventh year, and I think that my team is probably the most amazing team I’ve had since we’ve opened our doors. We are a big family.”
That sentiment also extends to the community. Grace said she felt the support of her customers, neighbors and beyond during the aftermath.
“The community outpour was huge,” Grace said. “I’ve received numerous phone calls, text messages, emails, people sending me flowers — this isn’t just happening to me, it is devastating to everybody, because we’re all part of this, and San Marino Café has really become such an important piece of the neighborhood, so when something like this happens, it doesn’t just happen to me, it happens to my staff and the whole neighborhood. We’re just a little piece on the corner trying to project a lot of love and community, so I think it’s very telling when something like this happens how people respond to it, and it’s been very positive. I’m very grateful for all of that.”
Though crime is a growing concern, Grace said she doesn’t want people to feel unsafe.
“At the end of the day, when bad things happen to good people, it’s nice to know there are other good people around you to get you through it,” Grace said.
“Instantly, I knew that: We got this,” she added. “I knew my community was going to be there for me and that they would back me up, and that is exactly what happened. We just got flooded with comments and messages of ‘You got this, Linda!’ and ‘You can get through anything!’ but it’s not me — it’s them. It’s knowing they are there for me.”
COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES IN 2023
In 2023, the San Marino Police Department investigated a total of 10 commercial burglaries within the city limits, three of which were reported in the Mission District, Qureshi said.
These incidents occurred at Pizzanista, Laykin Et Cie and the San Marino Café and Marketplace, where police said suspects shattered windows during the early hours of the morning while pedestrian and vehicle traffic was minimal. All three businesses had alarm systems which were activated, and two of these businesses had surveillance video cameras which captured suspects committing these crimes. Though suspects are currently unknown, SMPD detectives are continuing investigations.
“Three is not a lot in general, but over the whole year in the Mission District, we want zero,” Qureshi said of 2023’s commercial burglaries.
In 2022, there were no commercial burglaries reported in the Mission District, and in other years, that seems to have been the norm.
“When comparing commercial burglaries in the city over the previous four years, there has not been a significant overall change,” Qureshi said. “However, having three burglaries in the Mission District may seem alarming since we had three over a year’s span in 2023. Generally, the rate of crime in San Marino is lower than surrounding cities. Some of these increases are related to the growing South American theft groups and organized retail theft crime group activities increasing post-pandemic.”
Recent bond release protocols are putting suspects back out on the street quickly, Qureshi added. Last year, Los Angeles County Superior Courts Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols (PARP) allowed magistrate review for specific arrest.
“Magistrate review allows a judge to evaluate a case to decide whether or not to grant the release of suspects from jail prior to their arraignment court appearance. Suspects are then released from jail with an own-recognizance citation to appear at a future court date. Several non-violent offenders are released from prison and continue to commit crimes such as burglaries and thefts,” he said.
To keep San Marino storefronts safe from criminals, Qureshi urges local business owners to take precautions.
“Alarm systems are always the best way to deter suspicious activity and also minimize the time suspects spend inside a location,” Qureshi said. “Glass break sensors are also imperative to have inside a business. These sensors will swiftly report activity to the alarm company, which will then contact the police department rapidly.
“Businesses should have surveillance cameras which are actively monitoring locations both inside and outside a business and covering the entry/exit access points. It is imperative to have a surveillance camera to a rear of a business as sometimes getaway vehicles park in allies or low-lit areas. Surveillance cameras and alarm systems should be tested at least twice a year to make sure they are fully operational and all in order. Some alarm sensors require batteries, which should also be tested or replaced biannually.”
Criminals often keep an eye out for easy targets, he added.
“Suspects look at a few vulnerabilities in businesses when conducting crimes. These vulnerabilities are ease of access, limited visibility and lack of security,” said Qureshi, who also provided tips to help businesses owners deter crime at their establishment:
• Illuminate dark areas. Leave some or many lights on.
• Install security cameras.
• Install alarm systems.
• Secure windows and doors.
• Do not leave any cash or currency inside the location or in a register. Leaving a register drawer open will visually show there is no cash in the drawer.
• Keep valuable property locked up inside a bolted-down safe.
On the San Marino Café break-in, detectives are investigating automated license plate reader cameras for vehicles located in the area during the time of the incident, said Qureshi, who added that authorities are also waiting on surveillance camera video from neighboring businesses for any further leads.
Meanwhile, Grace said, she plans to replace her restaurant door’s glass with a more durable, harder to shatter material.
First published in the Jan. 11 issue of the San Marino Tribune
