Community Corner

Police Investigating Break-ins at Lowe's Plaza

A large portion of the plaza has been empty since early August when its main anchor store, Lowe's, closed its Meriden location along with six others throughout the nation.

 

Meriden Police investigated overnight break-ins at two restaurants in the shopping center at 1201 East Main Street in Meriden Friday.

Intruders reportedly forced their way into Royal Fish and Chips sometime around 2 a.m. Friday morning, and likely also broke into King's Garden Chinese Restaurant during the night, according to police.

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Nothing appears to have been stolen from either restaurant, Det. Lt. Mark Walerysiak said Friday, but doors of both establishments showed signs that someone had broken in when police arrived at the scene Friday morning. 

Royal Fish and Chips owner Saqib Zafar said he came into his restaurant in the morning to find the lock on the front door missing and his cash register on the floor – but no other damage and nothing stolen.

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"Even the tip jar is still there," Zafar said, adding that not even the cash register sustained damage. "I think they put it on the floor very gently."

Zafar said he believes the store's alarm scared intruders off before they had the chance to steal anything. It went off at around 2 a.m., but when Zafar was called he said he thought wind had triggered it, as it often does, and told the alarm company all was likely fine.

Upon arriving in the morning, staff called the police. While investigating the incident Friday, police also found damage to King's Garden, but the owners declined to make an official report, Walerysiak said.

A large portion of the plaza has been empty since early August when its main anchor improvement store along with six others for underperformance. The building now lies vacant, its interior lights turned off.

Walerysiak said it's possible the vacancy made the plaza a more attractive mark for burglars, since it is now less well-lit and less trafficked. This was the first incident of its kind reported since Lowe's closed, he said.

The owner of the plaza has not been able to fill the space yet, said Trudy Magnolia of the City's Economic Development Department.

"I spoke to the attorney for the owner of the plaza and a broker working for Lowes a few weeks ago and as of then there was nothing in the works for a sub-lease," Magnolia said by e-mail Friday. "The sooner someone takes that space, the better for everyone."


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