Olives Organic Market, pictured, a deli located at 42-37 27th St., was one of five businesses targeted by thieves overnight in Long Island City (Photo by Michael Dorgan)
April 5, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
Several business owners in Long Island City were left stunned Tuesday morning after two suspects allegedly went on a crime spree in the area leaving a path of broken glass and empty cash registers.
Instead of opening up for the day’s trade, the business owners were seen sweeping up shattered glass and speaking to the NYPD as the front of their establishments were cordoned off with yellow police tape.
The alleged thieves burglarized four eateries between 3:35 a.m. and 5 a.m. and made off with thousands of dollars in cash. They also attempted to break into a fifth business but failed.
In each incident, the suspects smashed their way through the front door and ransacked the establishment. It is unclear whether the suspects were on foot or used a getaway vehicle.
The first burglary took place at around 3:35 a.m. when the alleged thieves smashed their way into The Inkan, a Peruvian Restaurant located at 45-02 23rd St., and stole alcohol.
Around 15 minutes later, the pair targeted Möge Tee, a bubble tea store located at 42-38 Crescent St. by smashing through the glass front door. When inside, the assailants hauled out a cash register and fled, police said.
Jason Zheng, who owns the Möge Tee store, said the register was found empty this morning– discarded on the sidewalk around 100 feet away from his shop. He said that there was $3,000 in the register prior to the burglary.
He estimated that it will cost him $1,000 to replace his front door.
Möge Tee, a bubble tea store located at 42-38 Crescent St., was one of several businesses targeted by the burglars (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
At 4:10 a.m. the suspects broke into Communitea tea house and coffee shop, located at 11-18 46th Rd, and stole an undetermined amount of cash, police said.
Next, at around 4:35 a.m., the assailants tried to force open the front door of Wild Flour, a bakery located at 9-03 44th Rd., but were unsuccessful, police said.
Lastly, at around 5 a.m., the suspects burglarized Olives Organic Market, a deli located at 42-37 27th St. The perpetrators threw a rock through the front glass door and then rummaged through the store before taking cash from the register, police said.
A worker at the store said $2,000 cash was taken and that the suspects also swiped soda.
Police were seen going door-to-door in the area today asking business owners whether their establishments had been burglarized by the suspects.
Meanwhile, Zheng said it was not the first time his store has been targeted. He said that in one incident a large window was smashed costing him $2,800 to replace, while in another he chased a would-be robber out of the store.
Zheng said he has noticed a significant uptick in crime in the area recently.
“Before COVID-19 I think it was safer, now there are crazy people everywhere,” Zheng said.
The front door to Communitea tea house and coffee shop (Photo via Instagram)
A rock was seen today outside Wild Flour, a bakery located at 9-03 44th Rd., after a botched burglary attempt (Photo via Instagram)
Smashed glass outside Möge Tee, a bubble tea store located at 42-38 Crescent St. (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The suspects allegedly dumped a cash register from Möge Tee on the sidewalk (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
Police were seen going door to door today asking surrounding businesses if they had been hit by the suspects (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The damaged front door of Olives Organic Market, a deli located at 42-37 27th St. (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The damaged front door of Olives Organic Market, a deli located at 42-37 27th St. (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The damaged front door of Olives Organic Market, a deli located at 42-37 27th St. (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
Police outside Olives Organic Market, a deli located at 42-37 27th St. (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
The damaged front door of Olives Organic Market, a deli located at 42-37 27th St. (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
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21 Comments
Keep voting for loser Democrats!
I thought it was the aftermath of another protest when i passed by this morning.
Why would the #StopTheSteal rioters be in Queens?
The DC rioters didn’t steal anything. Much like the BLM rioters, they did destroy public property. BLM looters did steal remember? They were hungry for big screen TVs, Jordans and Fendi bags. You know stuff that they can eat. Funny how supermarkets were never targeted.
I agree, the rioters caused millions of dollars in damage to one of our nation’s most historical buildings. I guess you haven’t seen any pictures or video but the Trump votes rioted and looted the capitol, stealing LOTS of private property, you’re completely wrong. 5 police officers dead as a result, it’s sad you don’t think blue lives matter!
Cute comeback, but everyone knows conservatives are pro-police. Didn’t the majority of the rioters were outed, tried and convicted? So their crimes were punished and they are suffering the consequences of their actions. What about the BLM rioters? How come the same amount of time and effort weren’t used to capture them? Then again woke celebs were willing to pay their bail and now that very bail has been abolished. Its nice you care so much about the private property of our lawmakers especially Nancy Pelosi who amassed a fortune in her tenure there. But what about the minority owned businesses not were burned down? Shouldn’t your concern be more on them than rich politicians losing a laptop? But I guess it destroys your narrative. And more people were killed in the riots but through the actions of the rioters, and of course by the BLM scapegoat Rittenhouse.
Trump voters were beating them with “blue lives matter” flags. Sad!
Right in AOC’s and Gianaris’ turf.
Looks like a trailer for Bail reform fallout ,
Criminal Apprentice edition. These guys have a great Criminal work ethic, working the night shift, taking advantage of all
Bail reform/Progressive policies has to offer. Gotta strike when you have criminal loving , Victims don’t vote for me Politicians like AOC, Caban, Gianaris , Won , The Manhattan DA , Brad Lander etc etc
We are so screwed if we keep giving power to these Progressive types. Sadly we are not progressing we are regressing and it’s
Really depressing.
12 year old CHILD shot dead in the head while eating in a car. The Bail reformers have children’s blood on the hands. Can any of them be recalled? They are very bad for your health.
Unfortunately things like this happen when you open up places many of us locals can not afford. People are desperate to put food on the table and feed themselves and loved ones. Most of us got a stimulus payment last year but nothing this year as covid continues and the cost of living has skyrocketed.
How are people starving when obesity rates and diabetes keeps rising on the same people you defend? EBT can still pay for fruits and vegetables last time I checked. Not to mention that store brand is still cheaper than name brand. And instead of expecting something, ( it’s called entitlement by the way) why don’t you work for it. And lets see… printing more money is going to do what to inflation?
Bubble tea is tea mixed with milk sugar and tapioca. Its not that expensive. Buy a whole chicken and use some household herbs that can be used multiple times or you can grow them yourself and place it in the oven. Its not that expensive. You pay for the preparation and the service in these stores which is free when you do it yourself. You can buy non organic vegetables and still get the same amount of nutrition. The economy is terrible. You cannot get everything you want, so live within your means.
This is a truly ridiculous comment that only points to how utterly oblivious you are to what is actually happening.
Yeah but it made me laugh.
Cops do not prevent crime. They just show up after it happens to file criminal reports. We must demand that local politicians develop non-police solutions to the problems poor people face such as fighting poverty, racism, and social injustices in prisons, employment, housing and education. We need to elect leaders who will fight for better social programs.
Tell us more! It must be great to wake up everyday and know the solutions that affect the minority poor. It’s never the person’s fault and always injustice of some sort that led to their criminal behavior! This is the true epitome of elitist thought.
they are already implementing non-police solutions, like letting murderers out the next day to commit more murders. enjoy your vote!
And yet rents keep increasing and the mayor wants everyone to start commuting again.
Right under the nose of the bungling 108
If you build it they will come.
Bet when they’re caught we find out they live in one of NYCHA Projects
Where else can you live for the price of your welfare check?