Houston police are cautioning bar and restaurant owners to install high-definition cameras and keep valuable merchandise in safes after making an arrest in a series of Midtown burglaries.
Reginald Jones, 45, has been charged with two counts of burglary of a building in connection with a string of burglaries at Reserve 101 and The Rustic on Polk Street, among other locations, according to court records.Owners of the businesses reported more than $21,400 in merchandise was stolen during a string of break-ins over the last several months, according to Det. Bernard Ng, of the Houston Police Department.
Officers began investigating after businesses reported the break-ins happening overnight in December and January, Ng said. Investigators connected Jones to four of the burglaries through high resolution video caught on camera at some of the businesses, Ng said. During a news conference Friday, Ng said businesses should consider installing high-definition cameras and to make sure they have a backup power source, because in many cases, thieves are cutting power to the cameras. It’s also important that cameras have storage for more than 30 days, Ng said.
Employees at Reserve 101 reported more than $16,400 in stolen merchandise, while The Rustic reported more than $5,300 in losses, Ng said.