A business owner is asking for more security cameras in downtown San Mateo after his store was broken into twice in one week.
Security video from Atlas Skate Shop shows burglars breaking the store's front door at about 2 a.m. on April 13. Once inside, the burglars swipe are seen in the video swiping clothes.
The shop owner boarded up the door, but the same pair of burglars returned Monday, April 20, to steal more clothes from the store.
"To know someone is breaking in non-stop kind of sucks," said Rafael Rivas, a regular shopper at Atlas Skate Shop. "It's not fair to us, not fair to the shop and not fair to the community."
Other shoppers said the break-ins are shameful.
"It's frustrating because I know how hard local shops work as opposed to chain store," San Mateo-resident David Nicholas said. "And shops like this support communities by investing in kids who are skating by sponsoring them."
The owner of Atlas said he is not allowed to install a roll-up security door at his shop because it is housed in a historic building.
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News of the recent break-ins are spreading on social media and the owner is hoping someone recognizes the burglars and calls police.
The owner and police would like to see more security cameras in the downtown area, which is an idea some locals support.
"More cameras is obviously an answer, but once you start adding cameras you start risking privacy," Nicholas said.
The conversation about more security cameras is expected to continue in town.
Meanwhile, Atlas is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the burglaries.
