Capitol Heights businesses burglarized during blizzard

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. - The blizzard of 2016 did not slow down some thieves in Prince George's County. Break-ins at a Capitol Heights strip mall have left a number of businesses with property stolen and vandalized.

Anticipating the blizzard, one tobacco store owner shut down his store last Friday afternoon and waited until the storm passed to open back up. When he did, his store had been ransacked.

"My one register was taken, they broke the ATM, they took my tobacco products," said store owner Partap Saini. "It should be around $1,700."

His tobacco store's insulation and drywall were torn up.

"They came back and they broke the wall next door," he said.

The thieves got through to four other businesses in this Addison Road South strip mall.

"They broke into the building next door through the siding, the insulation, the drywall, came in, broke the cameras next door, took a sledgehammer to break the cinder blocks to crawl into this unit," said the store owner.

The only thing left behind at the tobacco shop was a safe that was beat up, but never opened.

While repairs took place at these stores at the strip mall, crime scene investigators photographed the scene.

The surveillance video from at least one store was stolen by thieves.

There have been no arrests so far.