Smash-and-grab burglars hit 3 Costa Mesa businesses

Three smash-and-grab burglaries targeted businesses in Costa Mesa early Monday, and investigating officers say at least two of the crimes probably are related.

Three smash-and-grab burglaries targeted businesses in Costa Mesa early Monday, and investigating officers said at least two of the crimes probably are related.

In one of the burglaries, surveillance cameras showed two hooded suspects breaking into a jewelry store at 1755 Newport Blvd. by shattering a window at 3:52 a.m., Costa Mesa police Sgt. Dan Miles said.

Once inside, the burglars discovered there was no jewelry to be taken because the store’s owners keep their inventory offsite, Miles said. The burglars took a handgun from a desk drawer and fled on foot, according to police.

As officers were responding to that burglary, they discovered another break-in at the same shopping center.

Someone had smashed a window at Side Street Cafe and taken a 1980s-era cash register that had $30 inside, Miles said.

Police are not sure when the cafe break-in happened but think it might be related to the jewelry store burglary.

Authorities also are investigating a burglary that occurred about the same time at Mesa Village Gift Shop at 1215 W. Baker St. The owner called police about 3:30 a.m. to report that someone had smashed a front window and taken an unknown amount of cash from the store, Miles said.

The owner was alerted to the crime by an alarm, Miles said.

Investigators do not have descriptions of the burglars in any of the break-ins, police said.