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Pattaya Thai is among several businesses in Five Points grappling with the aftermath of recent break-ins. While police continue their investigation, business owners find themselves burdened with repair costs that far exceed the value of stolen items.
A wave of break-ins has left multiple small businesses in the Five Points area working to recover from the damage.
As authorities delve into the incidents, some proprietors emphasize that the financial impact of repairs is more significant than the value of what was taken.
Russell Clayton and his family have been running Pattaya Thai in the Five Points neighborhood for over ten years. However, on the morning of October 13th, their restaurant fell victim to a break-in.
“It was just a shock, really,” Clayton remarked. “I got a call from a friend who works next door. He had walked by, noticed a police officer there, and saw our window had been smashed.”
Although the thief only made off with $5 from the cash register, Clayton revealed that fixing the damage to their door amounted to over $400.
“What we do is we leave our register drawers open because at a previous location people would come and steal the register and bash it,” he said, “if you wanna try to break in and you’re hungry. Just stop by and try to talk to me and I’ll make you some food. You don’t have to break or steal from anybody.”
Just 30 minutes after the break in at Pattaya Thai
Sake House, another restaurant down the street, also hit. Workers there showed First Coast News the cinder block thrown through their front door and the suspect took the entire register.
Then over the weekend, Brew Five Points coffee shop, joined the list of victims.
In an October 18th Instagram post, the shop wrote: “In all of 11 years there is a first time for everything. Our store got broken into causing $3,000 of property damage to our little shop.”
Despite the losses, business owners say what’s keeping them going is the community support.
“Best thing we can do as a community is help each other out in times like this,” said Clayton.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating these break-ins.
If you have any information about these burglaries, you can contact JSO at 904-630-0500.
According to Clayton, police told him they caught the suspect who broke into his restaurant. We have reached out to JSO for more information but have yet not heard back.
