Crime spree hits Latino-owned businesses in northwest Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Business owners and workers woke up Saturday morning to find the windows of their businesses smashed and cash stolen from their registers.
A string of Indianapolis break-ins targeted multiple Latino businesses in Pike Plaza on the northwest side.
Workers told News 8 the incident happened around 4 a.m. Saturday.
Six businesses were targeted, according to Sojo’s property manager. The shops that were broken into were Dulceria El Caramelo, Mi Mexico, International Restaurant, Zona Soccer, and Moda y Mas. The other shop was unidentified.
The owner of Zona Soccer showed surveillance video showing four people breaking the window and heading straight for the cash register. One suspect smashed it to the ground. The owner told News 8 they got away with about $100 in cash and left behind more than $3,000 in damage.

At the International Restaurant, it’s a similar scene. Their surveillance video shows thieves breaking through a glass window and going right for the register. In one close-up, two suspects were holding guns.
Over at candy shop Dulcería El Caramelo, the manager Karina Mena said they’re still reeling. Her mom owns the shop, which has been around for 15 years. About $500 was taken, and a double-pane glass window was damaged. She said the thieves used a brick to break the glass after a metal chair they threw didn’t work.

“You don’t feel safe anymore, especially when we’re a family-owned business. We have our families here sometimes. I have my kids here. We’re just blessed it didn’t happen during the daylight; instead, it happened at 4 a.m. when we were not here. But it’s still scary to know that people are scoping out the area, trying to see what they can take from these small places,” Mena told News 8.
Despite all of this, every business is still open. Workers say they don’t think this was racially motivated. Instead, they believe juveniles may be involved—and that these places were targeted because they’re a smaller, family-run businesses without the same security as big corporations.
“It was scary,” Yesly Lara, who works at the candy shop said. “We were shocked because it’s never happened to us.”
And all of this comes at a time when a lot of small business owners are already struggling.
“Come out and support all the businesses that are going through this. I know a lot of are going through it. I know some were thinking of closing down before this, and now this is hitting. And now a lot of them will really be struggling,” Mena said.
Owners and workers want the thieves to be held accountable. They are encouraging anyone with any information to reach out to the police.
Crime Resources
- Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana: 317-262-8477
- P3tips app | Apple devices | Google Play
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