Burglars ransacked a family arcade in San Bernardino over several days during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the business' owner said.
Owner Will Luna said he was alerted to the break-in at Extraordinaire Arcade early Friday morning and found some of the missing items at a nearby homeless encampment. The arcade, featuring pinball machines and 50 arcade games, was not open at the time of the burglary.
Luna said the business closed Wednesday night for the Thanksgiving holiday stretch. He said someone likely stayed behind at the business and emerged from hiding when the doors were locked.
"When we closed, they came down when the coast was clear and out the front door," Luna said.
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A computer board valued at about $500 was among the items found in the nearby encampment, Luna said. Game consoles, monitors and even snacks, likes sodas and chips, were stolen.
"I started tackling the tents and moved it, and I saw a box that has specific computer boards for my games," Luna said. "That was $500, and I found more stuff that belonged to us."
A bathroom also was damaged as they thieves made their way from the arcade to a salon next door.
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"They dropped down from the ceiling and then they tried to grab the cash box, but they couldn’t get out the front door because it’s double locked," said Teresa Sandoval, owner of Salon Metro.
Sandoval said the burglars eventually made their escape by crawling back through the ceiling. Both business owners tell NBCLA they recognized some of the thieves from their surveillance video as homeless people from the area.
No arrests were reported Monday afternoon.
NBCLA reached out to police for an update. The department said the crime is under investigation.
