Friendswood police look for nighttime burglar who uses rocks to break into businesses

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- Friendswood police are looking for a nighttime burglar who targets businesses using a rock to break inside.

Since March, there have been at least a dozen reports involving 11 businesses.

It started March 30 when officers said six businesses in the Captain's Corner shopping center had its windows broken, walls smashed and cash stolen.

In April, officers said Serenity Nails and Skin Care had its front window smashed, and items were thrown around.

Last month, four more stores were broken into, including Brock's Car Care, Luxie Plum Boutique, Eagle Transmission and Automotive and The Party Store.

"Your stomach kind of drops to the floor and you hurry to get over here to see what happened," The Party Store owner, Ray Allison said.

Allison said the thief got away with a bubble gum machine.

He thought the worst was over.

"When I got a call a second time I said, 'What in the world is happening to me, Lord? What did I do?'" Allison said.

Days ago, Allison had his front door smashed again. This time, the suspect got away with a lot more than gum.

"We had about $3,000 to $4,000 in silver," Allison said.

Allison doesn't have surveillance cameras, but many other impacted businesses do and the videos show the same thing.

In the middle of the night, a person uses a rock to smash a window, runs inside, and takes off with the cash in a matter of seconds.

"(I'm) frustrated that he's able to keep walking in and taking someone's stuff like that that people worked so hard." Brock's Car Care manager, Sheila Hooker said.

"The fact that they're breaking into places like this and doing this on a regular basis, it just doesn't think like normal thinking," Eagle Transmission and Automotive owner, Jeffrey Klima said.

Many of the impacted owners are making security improvements. The Party Store plans to add cameras as well, but after being targeted twice, the owner isn't sure it'll be comforting enough until the suspect is behind bars.

"I don't live very far from the store here, so if I thought of something I'd come here. Now I don't come. I don't want to get killed in this place," Allison said.