Several businesses across Bellingham were the victims of attempted or successful break-ins in the week leading up to the holidays.
A string of Fairhaven businesses were targeted over the past week — Stones Throw Brewery said an intruder failed to get in after attempting multiple points of entry early on Sunday, Dec. 22, while nearby contractor Wellman & Zuck made a report of a burglary on the morning of Dec. 21. These incidents followed a break-in at Serendipity, a consignment boutique, on Dec. 14 and another at the Fairhaven Runners & Walkers office the same day.
In other Bellingham neighborhoods, business owners also reported recent break-ins. A popular Birchwood barber shop was hit on Dec. 18. Thousands of dollars worth of tools and cash were taken, not only from the Barber Shack but also from Hair Hut, a salon located in the back of the barbershop.
Sandwich Odyssey posted on Facebook on Dec. 22 about discovering the shop had been broken into some time on Saturday night. The sandwich shop in the Lettered Streets neighborhood ended up having to close a day early for its holiday break in order to deal with the aftermath.
On West Holly Street, the Soy House Vietnamese restaurant was broken into early on Dec. 23. According to a report from the Bellingham Police Department, officers responded after a man set fire to a grill cover near another downtown eatery. The suspect who was responsible for the reckless burning seemed to match the description of the person who had forced his way into Soy House an hour earlier. He was found and booked by 11 a.m. the same day.
Bellingham Police Department did not provide further information on the break-ins.
Outside city limits, on the night of Dec. 23, a security camera at the Dank of America cannabis shop on Guide Meridian captured a dramatic break-in with a car and four suspects. The incident falls under the jurisdiction of Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.
Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com.