Nearly a half-dozen stores, restaurants and other businesses along Highway 99E and in downtown Canby were reportedly burglarized in a string of break-ins that occurred late Friday night or early Saturday morning, police confirm.
Captain Jose Gonzalez told the Current Canby Police responded to a burglary call at Birch Street Animal Clinic shortly before 3 a.m.
They were called to Vitamin Plaza, at 121 North Grant in downtown Canby, a couple of hours later, where the glass front door was shattered and the cash register stolen.
Gonzalez said police also received burglary calls from Camila’s and El Kiosko Deli in the shopping center near Canby High School and Canby Square, where the suspects also broke through glass doors to gain entry, and Thai Dish on North Ivy Street.
“Items were stolen from these places, but we will not disclose what was taken because the investigation is ongoing,” Gonzalez said. “Canby Police detectives were called out to assist patrol with the investigation.”
Vitamin Plaza owner Stephanie Boyce said she was awakened by a phone call from police between 5 and 6 a.m. Saturday and arrived at her downtown store to find the front door smashed in.
“I’ll be honest, I was angry,” she told the Current Monday. “And when I found out it was more than just me, I just got angrier. Because all these stores are small shops, all mom-and-pop. This is our community, and it’s not OK.”
Boyce said the thieves broke her cash register to remove the drawer, which she estimated contained about $220 in cash.
“The majority of my customers pay electronically, but a lot do pay in cash so I keep a limited amount of cash on hand,” she explained. “The sad thing is it’s going to cost me more to fix this destruction than what they got away with. It’s like, come on.”
She said she has no clue as to the perpetrator or perpetrators, but believes neither she nor the other business owners were personally targeted.
“It did not feel at all personal,” she said. “It was an obvious smash-and-grab for cash.”
Boyce said she is already making arrangements for the repairs and will be making several changes to her store’s security to prevent future incidents.
She said the best way the community can help is to support the affected businesses and other independent, locally owned shops in Canby.
“It sounds a little cheesy, but keep on supporting your mom-and-pop shops,” she said. “None of us are rolling in the dough. But this community has always been amazing, and I’m sure we will step up again.”
Anyone with information about this case is asked to please call the Canby Police Department non-emergency line at 503-655-8211.
