The burglar who hit this Hartz Chicken on the east side on July 29 has a slim build.
"He actually came down the ventilator shaft for the fryer, which was odd because that thing is so narrow," HPD Sgt. Eddie Ewing said.
It was a nasty surprise for the owner the next morning when she discovered the mess he left behind.
"He took the money, all my money sales from Friday night. And that's a lot of money," owner Siodenem Teb said.
But as you can see in this surveillance video from another burglary, his usual methods are bolder.
"What he normally does is busts out the front window, any kind of window he can get in that way," Ewing said.
Police think the burglar lives somewhere in this area because the restaurants are all within a few miles of each other, including a Popeye's, which has been twice.
Police released the surveillance video Friday morning, hoping someone will recognize the burglar. He's not only accused of breaking in to the Hartz, the Popeye's and a donut shop, but could be connected to even more burglaries.
Meantime, business owners on the east side are making changes, like not leaving cash overnight.
"Businesses leave a little cash for the next morning, so when they open up, they have some spending cash. They've gotten smart, they don't do that anymore," Ewing said.
If you recognize the burglar in the surveillance video or you have information about the burglaries, you are urged to contact the HPD Investigative First Responder Division or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
