Another Riverdale restaurant burglarized

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Greek Express at 3733 Riverdale Ave. is the latest restaurant on the street to be the victim of burglary.

A thief entered the eatery through a two-by-two-foot hatch on the night of April 7, according to co-owner John Orfanopoulos.

“When I came in at 10 a.m. to open up, the kitchen and the counter area were ransacked,” said Mr. Orfanopoulos, 45. “They took about $300 from the register. When we tried to figure out who it was, we saw that they’d even taken the DVR box for our security cameras.”

Less than two months after a string of burglaries at local businesses lining Riverdale and Johnson avenues, criminals have continued to find success in the neighborhood. Restaurants struck in the earlier streak include Corner Café, a kosher vegetarian restaurant at 3718 Riverdale Ave., Yo-Burger at 3726 Riverdale Ave. and Tibbett Diner at 3033 Tibbett Ave.

“The police could stand to step up their patrols,” said Mr. Orfanopoulos, “but we’ve got to protect our own buildings, too.”

Police said they were unable to identify the masked man caught in security camera footage at Yo-Burger in February. They said that individual was also responsible for three break-ins within the 50th Precinct.

A community affairs spokesman said police have strong suspicions as to the burglar’s identity.

“He’s still out there,” the spokesman said. “We got him for something else, but he was out the same day. To my knowledge, the break-in at Greek Express is unrelated,” the spokesman said.

He declined to provide further comment on the suspect. Business owners need to take the initiative to protect their own stores, he said, adding that police make an effort to identify vulnerabilities each time they respond to the scene of a burglary.

Whether or not the same perpetrator is involved at the Greek Express, the failure of ordinary means of surveillance, like the unconcealed video system at Greek Express, caused concern.

“We know we need to upgrade. We’ve thought of using a more advanced alarm system with motion sensors out back,” Mr. Orfanopoulos said.

From the area behind his store, Mr. Orfanopoulos pointed out an alley down the street by the site of the former Ginger Grill, at 3717 Riverdale Ave., as a possible route to the rear hatch the burglars had used. But he also said his building’s proximity to the site of Simone Development Companies’ proposed 14-story luxury apartment complex, which is currently empty, provided another route.

“It’s easy access,” he said.

Simone Development Companies could not immediately be reached for comment.

crime, burglary, restaurants, security, Greek Express, Nic Cavell