A police investigation is underway in Boston following four break-ins within a 48-hour span in an otherwise quiet neighborhood on Beacon Hill.
All of the break-ins occurred on Charles Street, not far from the Boston Public Garden. It is unclear if the incidents are connected.
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Police said no arrests have been made, as they are still in the early stages of their investigation.
According to a police report, officers were initally called to Soodee, a clothing store at 63A Charles St., on Sunday morning for a report that the business had been broken into. Upon arrival, police observed that a window pane on the door next to the lock had been shattered. The door was ajar and a brick was found on the floor beside the shattered glass.
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Inside the store, the officer saw items around the desk where the cash register had been scattered across the floor. The owner responded to the store and conducted an inventory and found that the cash register and a box of rings beside the front door were missing.
Surveillance footage from the store showed that around 11:53 p.m. on Saturday, a male wearing a blue sweatshirt and black pants was seen throwing a brick through the glass, entering the store and pulling the cash register off the desk.
Another police report said officers responded to a breaking and entering on Sunday morning at Remy Creations, a department store at 96 Charles St. When they arrived, police found one of the glass panels in the business door had been shattered just below the doorknob.
An employee told police they walked by the business on their way to Whole Foods on Sunday morning and saw the damaged door. A mannequin had been knocked over and several items behind the counter were tossed around. An iPad worth about $900 was also stolen from the store.
On Monday morning around 4:30 a.m., police responded to a commercial alarm that was sounding at J. Grady Home, a home goods store at 133 Charles St. Upon arrival, officers observed that one of the front door glass panels was shattered on the ground.
While they were still investigating that scene, the officers were advised that there was another commercial alarm activation nearby at 53 Charles St.
When they got there, they found a broken door window, with the door unlocked. The owner was called to the scene and was able to provide police with surveillance video of the suspect breaking into the store. The male suspect was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black-and-white sneakers.
Police checked the surrounding area but were unable to locate the suspect.
The incidents came as a shock to people in the area, who described Beacon Hill and specifically Charles Street as a quiet area.
"I'm completely surprised," said Alex Greenberg. "Why? It just is unheard of around here. It's a safe area. It's just disappointing."
William Borden, an employee at the Charles Street Supply hardware store, said his boss decided to nail a wooden board to the door of their business as a precautionary measure.
"It was just kind of a surprise," Borden said of the break-ins. "It kind of just makes you open your eyes and it's like, this stuff really happens everywhere, so it's a big deal. Having to really board up the place just tells you it's pretty serious."
Other businesses in the area are following suit, boarding up their windows as well.
Anyone with information on any of the break-ins is asked to contact Boston police.
