The Ithaca Police Department issued two press releases on Sunday, July 16 regarding four commercial burglaries across the city. According to Sgt. Michael Meskill, three occurred on Saturday, July 8 between 3:30 and 4:30 a.m., while the last one occurred on Tuesday, July 18 at about 3:35 a.m. The burglaries on July 8 appear to be related to one another, but do not appear to be connected to the burglary on July 18.
The first July 8 burglary occurred on Elmira Road, where the suspects forced in the front door and ransacked the business, according to police. The second one occurred on West State Street, where the suspects allegedly broke a window and stole “various items” including beer and cigarettes, Meskill stated.
The last one occurred at a store on the Ithaca Commons, and like on West State Street, the suspects broke a window and stole various items. There is little information available on the suspects, but according to Meskill, the burglaries were likely committed by four to five people.
The July 18 burglary occurred on the 100 block of South Cayuga Street. A window was smashed in, and property was taken. According to Meskill, the suspects apparently used a gray Kia Soul and a white Hyundai Sonata. At least two other businesses have been burglarized on and near the Commons in the past several weeks.
Police are being assisted by the New York State Police and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office. Meskill asked the public to contact them with any additional information.
Jonathan Mong is a reporter from the Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship at The Ithaca Voice. This piece was originally published in the Ithaca Voice.