Medina police search for suspects in four business burglaries
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MEDINA, Tenn. — A string of break-ins has residents of a West Tennessee town known for its low crime rate on edge. In one night, four Medina businesses were burglarized. To put into perspective just how rare this occurrence is, in all of 2013 Medina police investigated just six burglaries, according to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation figures. Medina Police Chief Steven Grooms said in his four months with the department not a single business had been broken into until now. Each one of the downtown Medina businesses was burglarized early Sunday morning. “We don’t think about these things happening here,” said Marilyn Chapin, who owns Marilyn’s Timeless Treasures. “But it’s getting to where it’s anywhere you go it seems.” Chapin’s antique store, Medina Flower Garden, Catarina’s Italian Restaurant and Wild Sophistication’s Boutique all were affected. “They didn’t get anything, I don’t think, from the restaurant and only got some change from the flower shop,” Chapin said. “So they probably got more from me than anyone else.” A suspect also was caught on camera attempting to break into a fifth business. He could be seen trying to jimmy the door of Home Town Pharmacy, but before he could get inside an alarm went off. “It was foggy Sunday morning,” Grooms said. “You could tell it was a figure with a tall, slender build, dark jacket, grey hoodie and some type of hat on.” But the Medina Police Department said they believe he is not the only one involved. “We recovered two different sets of footprints, tennis shoe prints, from inside one of the businesses,” Grooms said. Grooms said finger prints also were recovered and should be influential in finding those responsible. “Of course with population growth comes more crime,” Grooms said. “But we’re going to try our best to deter crime and keep it low here in Medina.” If you recognize the man in the surveillance video or have information about these burglaries, call the Medina Police Department at 731-783-1437.
