SMITH COUNTY (KYTX) - The Smith County Sheriff's Office is looking for burglars who broke into three businesses and tried to get inside a fourth around Highway 69 North, even killing a guard dog in the process.
"Paper in the floor and drink machine in the floor," says Raymundo Perez, owner of Koko's Mexican & American Grill.
"Came in, door smashed, cash register gone, lights weren't on," says Harvey Alford, owner of Alford's Tire Shop.
Different businesses with the same scenario.
The sheriff's office says burglars cut electricity and broke windows to get into Koko's restaurant and Alford's tire shop.
Investigators say the thieves stole small items, TV's, even drinks from the cooler at Koko's.
Not to mention $2,600 the family planned to use for federal taxes Wednesday.
"Took a lot of money today we didn't make. Got to find out how to come up with that tax money," says Juan Raymundo Perez, Koko's owner's son.
Harvey Alford lost about $100 from the register.
But the cost of repairs will be far worse.
"It makes me mad. People work hard for what they've got and for somebody to just come in and take it," says Alford.
The Smith County Sheriff's Office says the burglars tried to get into Hayes' Pawn Shop too, but weren't successful. They did however kill a guard dog.
Hayes Pawn is one of the two other businesses affected by the rash of crimes.
Mr. T's Moving is the fourth, a door kicked in, but nothing stolen.
Business owners and investigators believe the same people are responsible in all four cases.
"They know what they're doing and they are going to do it again," says Alford.
These business owners just hope whoever caused the mess, and stole their time and money, is caught.
"Makes me feel really sad knowing that this is something you think would never happen to you and it happens to you. It's a new experience," says Perez.
If you have any information, call the Smith County Sheriff's Office at 903-566-6600, or Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.
