Arlington Heights smash-and-grab burglaries caught on camera

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- ABC7 has obtained exclusive video of the thieves suspected in four suburban smash-and-grab burglaries - and one of the businesses was hit more than once.

Police said the thieves hit four businesses within steps of each other, one after another in quick succession. At one liquor store, surveillance cameras were no deterrent.

The video shows the burglars breaking a glass door and then racing into the business. Two women and a man with their faces covered can be seen grabbing liquor, cigarettes, and cash from the register.

One of the thieves has a suitcase and fills it up as fast as he can, but the luggage gets heavy. As they race out the door, that suitcase is hard to handle and the burglar falls, apparently cutting himself on the glass.

"They will get eventually caught. They're not sharp, so they will get caught," owner Biren Patel said.

The burglary at the liquor store was part of a string of break-ins that same night. The bandits also hit an auto repair shop on the same corner, a nearby dry cleaning business, and a neighborhood bar.

All four businesses are in the shadow of Arlington Park.

"It's surprising to see it happening in this area," Patel said.

For Patel, it was his second break-in in days. He said the same thieves threw a rock through the door on Saturday night. They were in-and-out in a flash, but one thief apparently returned without his face covered, and cameras captured a clear shot.

"Thank God it happened at night time, and we're not around. It could be worse," Patel said.

In all four burglaries, the thieves shattered glass doors or glass next to doors using rocks or other tools.