Dallas police say they are looking at surveillance videos from businesses in Bishop Arts, the 300 block of W. Jefferson and possibly more in an effort to catch the person suspected in several January break ins.
The morning of Jan. 26 someone smashed windows and glass doors at Top Ten Records, Atomic Home Supply, CBD American Shaman and Liberty Shoes.
Atomic Home Supply owner Terri Cirvello posted a clip of a dark-clothed figure running through his showroom following the break-in. When owners of Mod + Jo in Bishop Arts saw the video, they told him they believed it could have been the same person who broke into their store Jan. 14. Owners from DLM Supply on Davis also chimed in to say it looks like “the same exact person that broke in to our store this morning. [Jan. 26].”
As shop owners shared video, it became evident that it is highly possible — if not clear in the literal sense — that the same person who broke into Mod + Jo on Bishop broke into those shops on Jefferson and DLM on Davis a dozen days later.
“That’s the consensus,” Cirvello says.
A video from outside the smashed-up Jefferson stores on Jan. 26, provided by Xaman, shows three-plus minutes of the masked-up hooded figure lingering around the building.
The video from Mod+Jo on Jan. 14 shows a masked, hooded figure as well.
Most of the affected shops suffered damage to glass but minor loss of inventory.
[UPDATE Feb. 3, Mod + Jo’s owners tell us the suspect made off with jewelry.]Top Ten, which in addition to being Dallas’ oldest record store also is a musical archive and nonprofit, “got lucky,” store manager Leslie Vanravenswaay says, “because we hear they did take some stuff from some other businesses.”
“It seems he’s on foot so cash and jewelry are his thing,” Cirvello says. “At my shop he ran straight for the checkout but apparently missed seeing the cash box.”
Cirvello says he has reached out to the building’s property manager to discuss increased safety measures such as better lighting, but no action has been taken to date.
(I reached out to but did not immediately hear back from property manager Barry Smith.)
Police are “communicating with all of us and so on,” Todd Carruthers from CBD American Shaman says.
Cirvello says police today (Feb. 2) asked him for his surveillance footage.
Public information officer Juan Fernandez tells us Dallas Police detectives “are investigating these cases.”
“Currently we do not have any information to provide,” he says. “Detectives have been contacting the business owners and are working with them to gather the necessary evidence for a successful prosecution.”
Cirvello insists that even though this might go on record as “vandalism,” the crimes could have a serious effect on Oak Cliff business owners, many of whom are already challenged. She hopes (but is not holding her breath) police can catch this burglar. She also wants to rally the property management, police and fellow business owners to increase security and safety efforts in order to prevent future incidents.
“It’s hard enough given the last two years to try and keep a small business open and this kind of stuff hurts.”
