9 Lake Forest restaurants burglarized in same night

LAKE FOREST, Calif. (KABC) -- Nine restaurants in South Orange County were hit by burglars over the weekend and investigators believe the incidents might be related.

On one block alone in Lake Forest, four businesses were all burglarized in the same night. Several of them now sit with plywood covering windows that were smashed in.

"Some of the way that the entries were made in those burglaries appeared to be similar," said Lt. Mark Stichter with the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

The Sheriff's Department said all the businesses were closed when the burglars broke in and took cash and even cash registers, between midnight Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday.

Investigators are looking at whether the burglaries were all conducted by the same suspects or perhaps a larger group working in coordination.

One restaurant owner said the burglars got away only with some petty cash and change. But the break-in left her on edge and frustrated.

"It definitely makes you angry," she said. "We're just here trying to run our business."

Anyone with information about the crimes is asked to call Orange County Crimestoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS