Break-In at Tropical Market

Goose Creek Police are investigating the latest in a string of downtown break-ins this year.

On Sunday morning, officers were called to the Tropical Market at 225 Red Bank Road after a parishioner at a neighboring church noticed the front door had been shattered.

Officers entered the store, but found little disturbed besides the damage to the door. 

Don't miss a headline! Like Goose Creek Patch on Facebook!

Video surveillance shows a man approaching the door in a hooded white sweatshirt, white gloves and blue mask. According to police, the video shows the man strike the door with a hammer and then kicking in the door.

Once inside, the man searched the counter for the cash drawer, collected $40 in one dollar bills and change. He then heads back out the front door.

There have been five similar break-ins downtown in recent months. 

See a map of the six recent break-in locations

On July 26, the Asian Pacific International Market on St. James Avenue was burglarized when the front door was busted open. Video showed the unidentified suspects had attempted to break into a nearby liquor store. When he couldn't pry the door open, he hit the market.

Two days earlier, the Port City Liquor store on Red Bank Road was the victim of a burglary early in the morning. With the owner arriving to find the front door busted out, with cash and cigarettes stolen.

In June, a pair of unidentified suspects broke out the front door of the Ye Ole Fashioned Ice Cream on St. James Avenue. Using a cell phone as a flashlight, the two busted into a cabinet in the office and also broke into the cash register.

In May, unknown suspects broke a window out of the front of the Tienda El Paisano grocery and stole cash from the cash register. And, in March, an unknown suspect used a rock to bust out the front door of the Philly Cheesesteak on St. James. They then tore through the office and fled out the back door.