BALTIMORE, Md. — A Baltimore City business owner is speaking out after two burglaries at the Fallstaff Shopping Center on Reisterstown Road earlier this week — and she says crime won't drive her or her neighbors away.
'Not gonna stop us': Bakery owner stands firm after two burglaries in Baltimore shopping center
According to police reports, around 4 a.m. Tuesday, security footage showed two suspects breaking the front window at America's Best Wings. Just five minutes later, footage showed three suspects breaking into El Gran Pollo and taking a cash register with $1,000 inside.
The burglaries brought back difficult memories for April Richardson, co-owner of Baked in Baltimore, in the same shopping plaza.
"I was like, not again," Richardson said. "That created panic and fear because we just got over the first time it happened to us."
In 2021, burglars broke into Baked in Baltimore and left the business with thousands of dollars in damage. The community rallied to help the shop recover.
"We literally just did a rebrand opening 2 weeks ago; that was our way of saying, hey, we're gonna stay, and this new burglary is not going to shake us; we're unmovable," Richardson said.
She took to Facebook to share her message, and the response was swift. More than 40,000 people viewed her post, and several commented that they plan to stop by and show their support.
"I did see one say, 'Well, why don't you just move?' Well, why don't you just come? Support companies like Baked in Baltimore, El Gran Pollo and America's Best Wings. We've decided that Baltimore is worthy, and because of that we stay here," Richardson said.
No arrests have been made, but all of the business owners have each other's backs and have no plans to leave.
"You're not gonna stop us. We are baked in Baltimore, and we're going to continue to bake in Baltimore, no matter what," Richardson said.
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