Ten small businesses at three shopping centres – including the Brickworks – targeted in crime spree

Masked thieves have smashed their way into 10 small businesses overnight, stealing money and leaving a trail of destruction. Watch the CCTV here.

The owner of one of nearly a dozen small businesses targeted by thieves during a wild overnight crime spree says she might “never feel safe again” after her bakery was broken into.

St Georges Bakehouse was one of 10 stores across Adelaide’s north and west where masked thieves smashed their way in overnight, stealing the tills and leaving shattered glass everywhere.

Police are investigating if the break-ins are linked, with a white hatchback seen at two of the break-ins in Greenwith and Para Hills.

Four businesses were broken into at the Brickworks, while the others were at a Greenwith shopping village and a Para Hills shopping centre.

It comes after thieves broke into St Peters’ Bakehouse on Tuesday and stole a till.

Those targeted at Highland Valley Shopping Centre in Greenwith include St Georges Bakehouse, Golden Saigon Vietnamese Eatery, Chicken Jim and Australia Post.

Bakehouse manager Angela Harris said it was “horrible” when she arrived to work at 6am this morning and found owners of the neighbouring shops standing together facing their line of broken doors.

“It’s been a crazy morning … we might never feel safe again,” the 21-year-old said.

“We used to leave our tables and chairs outside at night … people would come and use them just to hang out … won’t be doing that again.”

A gang of masked thieves has targeted cash registers after smashing their way into the stores. Witnesses say they saw the suspects flee in a small white hatchback. The latest in 7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/EAqcrnKVjm

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) February 7, 2024

“Yesterday was bad when the fridge broke and we had to throw away all our cakes … we thought trying to fix that would be hard.”

Select Chickens’ owners Amanda and Gregory Koutsouridis said they were called by SAPOL officers at 6am to notify them of the attempted break-in at their Para Hills store.

“When your phone rings at that time of the morning you always expect the worst,” Ms Koutsouridis, 48, said.

“It’s awful … the door is cracked and hard to open and they got in to the barber’s next door.”

Ms Koutsouridis said in 24 years of the couple owning the business, such a break-in had never occurred before.

Chillilulu has been broken into twice in just the last few months. Picture: Supplied

Chillilulu has been broken into twice in just the last few months. Picture: Supplied

“It looks like at least four of them … in the footage you can see them try kicking the door about 17 times,” the 48-year-old said.

“The door is completely cracked from the attempt, and it has been really hard to open.

“We have been so lucky before this, no ever been broken in to, never been held up … this is the first time ever.”

An SA Police spokesperson said there were no “established links” between any of the break-ins, but investigations were ongoing.

They declined to say if Operation Mandrake – SAPOL’s task force that targets serious youth repeat offending – was investigating.

Police first responded to an alarm at the Brickworks shopping centre on South Rd about 12.55am on Wednesday.

Cash registers from were from four businesses, with one later found dumped on West Thebarton Rd near James St.

Oasis Pizza and Pasta, Chillilulu, Cibo Espresso, and W & W Quan were all found with their front windows smashed in and “shattered glass everywhere”.

CCTV footage showed five people all wearing face masks and balaclavas forcing their way into the businesses.

The second spate of break-ins occurred from about 1.40am at the Para Hills shopping centre on Bridge Rd.

A witness reported a broken glass door at a barber shop about 5.15am on Wednesday.

Brickworks in Torrensville was one of the shopping centres targeted in the early morning break in spree. Picture: JLL

A pizza shop was also broken into, with cash stolen from both premises, while attempts to break into the chicken shop were unsuccessful.

Police said four suspects wearing white hooded jumpers then left the scene in a white Hyundai hatchback.

In the third break-in just after 2am, a witness heard breaking glass and saw “several persons” leave the Highland Village Shopping Centre on Target Hill Rd at Greenwith in a small white hatchback.

Four stores were broken in to and their tills targeted.

Police patrols and the Polair helicopter attended the area, but were unable to locate the suspects.

Police are investigating if the series of break-ins are connected.

In recent days, close to 10 other break-ins have been reported including an aggravated robbery of a bottleshop at Ovingham and break-ins at licensed premises at Mile End.

The list also includes the Cheesecake shop in Torrensville, a jewellery store in Woodville Gardens, the Bayside Bakery in Glenelg, St Peters Bakehouse, a hairdressing salon on King William Rd in Goodwood, the Dear Daisy Cafe at Forestville, and a jewellery theft at Burnside Village where $6000 worth of gold jewellery was stolen.

Chillilulu owner Bofi Hou, 35, said he has had to pay “$600-$700” to his insurance company each time and that he’d been broken into twice in the “past few months”.

“The police should do more. We need to take stronger actions to stop these things from happening again,” he said.

“We small businesses are already struggling as the cost of the business is going up.

“These kinds of things are costing me more money.”

“(Moving locations) is an option but it’s not easy because the lease is here for another three years.

“I want to leave but I can’t.”

Despite the break-in, Mr Hou is still open for business today.

FIVEaa reporter Jade Robran said some Brickworks businesses had been broken into up to five times in the past couple of months.

Next to Chillilulu is Oasis Pizza and Pasta, where the suspects allegedly took the cash register and “dumped” it inside Chillilulu with a bag of money inside they “just left behind”.

FIVEaa breakfast co-host and Advertiser columnist David Penberthy said he couldn’t understand the motive behind the break ins.

“For the risk, you’re not getting rich out of this enterprise,” he said.

“These people are morons. That’s why they left behind stuff of value – they’re idiots.

“These are just innocent small businesses trying to make an honest quid.

“It feels like there’s a group of people out there who have clearly decided that they can have a crack and get away with it.”

Anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity or know more about any of the break-ins is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au