An iPad was taken from Confidential Coffee in Downtown after a suspect smashed the shop’s bottom window, police and the cafe’s owner said Thursday.
After receiving a call about a burglary, police arrived at the coffee shop just before 6 a.m., but a suspect has not been located and the investigation is ongoing, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
It’s the second time the cafe has been broken into in two months and through that same bottom window. It’s also the fifth break-in since the shop first opened five years ago, owner Denise Maldonado said.
The shop’s iPad, used for purchases and tracking orders, has also been stolen multiple times before.
“It’s frustrating because I’ve been seeing a lot of break-ins and no one does anything about it,” Maldonado said. “Small businesses are already struggling.”
Maldonado got a call around 6 a.m. on Thursday from her employee, who had discovered the broken window and told her police had arrived at the shop. Nothing in the front of the store was taken. Maldonado was in Ventura at the time, where the shop does pop-ups during the week.
Maldonado said it will cost about $500 to replace the window again and another $500 to replace the iPad. The shop has cameras pointed to the area where the iPad was stored overnight.
“How can I leave my business at night and go to sleep knowing someone might come in?” Maldonado said. “It’s violating.”
She says police have taken reports after each break-in and she has sent them security footage from within the store, but she has not heard any updates on any of the previous break-ins.
“I have to pay an additional fee on top of my business license just to be in Downtown,” Maldonado said. “There must be something they can do.”
Security concerns, especially for small businesses Downtown, have been mounting for months. In March, a string of over 20 commercial burglaries, mainly targeting small shops and restaurants, prompted the Long Beach Police Department to create a task force to investigate and deter the burglaries.
Police have since made arrests in a string of burglaries in North Long Beach and other parts of the city, but Maldonado said she feels that officers have not made her shop a high priority.
Police could not immediately comment on earlier reports of break-ins at the shop.
On Thursday, Maldonado continued to serve coffee for the rest of the day, using mobile payment apps like Venmo and Zelle initially, before getting a new iPad to continue service as normal.
Maldonado said she opened Confidential Coffee in the hopes that it would be an inclusive, safe space for people to enjoy coffee and snacks. Many of the specialty drinks have Mexican flavorings, like the Cajeta Latte, which comes with Semi-sweet Mexican caramel, cinnamon, espresso and milk. The drinks are an ode to Maldonado’s culture and heritage.
“I love Long Beach and the community,” Maldonado said. “The support of the community is what keeps me going.”
The best way to support the business, Maldonado said, is to come buy a cup of coffee.
Confidential Coffee is located at 137 West 6th Street.