L.A. burglar leaves apology note: ‘Sorry! Need money for drugs’

A wave of destructive burglaries in San Fernando has left business owners frustrated and on edge. In a bizarre twist, one shop owner discovered an apology note from a thief.

Over the past several days, at least seven businesses were hit by thieves including restaurants, coffee shops and more.

One business, the San Fernando Coffee Company, was burglarized on Tuesday. The thief smashed their way into the shop and escaped with the cash register.

“This week has been an emotional rollercoaster,” said Isaiah Rosario, the coffee shop’s owner.  

Rosario said although there was only $6 inside the register, it would cost him around $1,000 to replace   it.

The restaurant next door, Teriyaki Madness, was burglarized twice in one week — on Tuesday morning and again on Thursday morning.

Security cameras from the restaurant captured an intruder slipping through a shattered glass window and heading straight for the cash register.

And in a bizarre twist, cameras recorded the male thief writing a note before fleeing the scene. The next day, the victimized owners recovered the note, which read, “Sorry! Need money for drugs, won’t come back.”

Authorities are working to determine whether the same person or persons may be involved in the burglary spree.

As store owners continue working to clean up their stores and recuperate from their losses, many are just frustrated over the continuous crime.

“It just sucks,” Rosario said. “It just sucks.”

Local business owners have planned a meeting with the San Fernando police chief on Friday morning to address the crime wave.

The suspect or suspects responsible for the break-ins are facing charges of burglary, vandalism, grand theft and more.