A robber broke into a popular bar in Teika; the theft was facilitated by a key left in the cash register 0 13

Just before Christmas, late in the evening, the owner of the café "Ezītis miglā", Kristaps, received a call from the security guard — someone had broken into his establishment.

"A broken-in premises was discovered. I went to the scene, reviewing the camera footage on the way — nothing was visible. The doors were broken and damaged. Together with the security guard, we went inside, checked all corners to make sure no one was left behind. We discovered that the cash register had been robbed," Kristaps said.

He handed over the video recordings to the police that arrived at the scene and filed a report. While reviewing the footage, Kristaps was able to trace the robber's actions.

The man walked around the bar for about four minutes until, as Kristaps suspects, he used a crowbar to break into the staff door. Then he approached the cash register, quickly emptied it, taking 150 euros with him, and disappeared without being noticed by anyone.

A few days later, a theft occurred at "Alus darbnīca Teika", located just a few meters away. Its owner also received a call from the security guard early in the morning — around five o'clock.

At that time, there was a slightly larger amount of money in the "Alus darbnīca" cash register than in "Ezītis miglā", and the robber managed to escape again. It is worth noting that in both cases, the security guards did not arrive in time — they missed catching the criminal by just one minute. The owners are pondering whether these robberies are connected and if it could be the same person.

"The clothing, of course, is different. But people can have different clothing. It’s hard to say. By the body movements — it looks similar. The camera angles are different, so it’s quite possible that it’s the same person, but it could also be two different ones," Kristaps speculates.

In the case of "Alus darbnīca", the robber took the key from the cash register drawer and easily opened it. In "Ezītis miglā", the break-in was even simpler — the key was already in the lock, and the man only had to turn it to access the money.

Reflecting on the incident, Kristaps acknowledges that in the future, more attention will need to be paid to the security of the cash register and it is essential to check that no money is left in it overnight.

"We learned a serious lesson. I read comments online that you shouldn’t leave change in the cash register — yes, that’s our mistake, I admit. But we won’t do that again in the future," he noted.

The staff and owners of both establishments maintain good relations, and Kristaps mentioned that they will definitely discuss the incidents with their neighbors. Both owners hope that with the help of the police and video materials, they will be able to catch the perpetrator or perpetrators.