Burglars ransack two Starbucks stores

Two Starbucks coffee shops along Interstate 75 were ransacked during apparent burglaries, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

The manager at the Starbucks at 5485 University Parkway arrived at work Wednesday morning to open for business when she found the building completely ransacked.

Then, shortly after receiving the 911 call from that location, deputies got another one about an overnight burglary at the Starbucks at 7386 52nd Place E., in the Creekwood shopping center. The manager at that store, according to deputies, also arrived in the morning to open the business and discovered it in the same condition.

The stores are about 6 miles away from each other and both sit just west of Interstate 75.

The value of loss and damage caused at the stores was not known.

Through speaking with the managers, deputies also found out that Starbucks stores in Tampa have recently been burglarized in the same way.

Tampa Police Department spokesman Steve Hegarty confirmed that two Starbucks stores in Tampa were burglarized within hours of each other – one late on Oct. 10 at 2720 W. MLK Jr. Blvd., and the other in the early-morning hours of Oct. 11 at 2013 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. The stores, Hegarty said, were not very far from each other.

The suspects in the burglary at the Dale Mabry location removed the deadbolt to the rear door and entered the Starbucks, Hegarty said. Once inside, they disabled the alarm and ripped down the surveillance cameras. They then cut into the rear of the safe, stealing cash, deposits and tips. They fled undetected. The Starbucks on MLK Jr. Boulevard was burglarized in the same manner.

Manatee County detectives are working leads.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 10:38 AM with the headline "Burglars ransack two Starbucks stores."