Ten Mile Brewing Company in Signal Hill was burglarized early this morning. The bandits made away with a cash register box containing $250 in cash.
The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m., according to brewery owner Jesse Sundstrom.
Burglars wearing all black clothing and ski masks used a crowbar to pry open the brewery’s front door, as shown in video surveillance footage of the incident. Three suspects were involved in the incident, according to Signal Hill Police Department Sergeant Don Moreau.
“When you see the video, this guy was really wailing on that crowbar to pry at the door. You could see the whole glass wall was moving, but it never broke, which is honestly the most amazing part to me,” Sundstrom said. “So at least that’s fortunate.”
Once inside, the burglars attempted to remove the brewery’s two cash register boxes. They successfully removed one box containing $250 in cash, but failed to remove the second box.
“They couldn’t get it and then they bailed out pretty quickly, it was only about four or five minutes total,” Sundstrom said.
When the burglars forcibly opened the brewery’s front door, it triggered the brewery’s alarm system, which notified the Signal Hill Police Department.
SHPD received the audible alarm call at 4:40 a.m. and dispatched officers to the scene at 4:41 a.m., according to Moreau. The officers arrived at 4:44 a.m., just a few minutes after the suspects had driven off in a white minivan.
Sundstrom arrived about 20 minutes after the incident occured to survey the damage.
Sundstrom is working to get the front door repaired, which he estimated will cost $500. He will also replace the cash register box, which he estimated will cost $60 to $100.
“We’re well over what they actually took in just repairs,” Sundstrom said.
The brewery took to Instagram today to announce the news, posting, “Wish these guys would have inquired about a job. They would make more in a single night than what they stole.”
This is the first time Ten Mile Brewery has been burglarized since its opening in 2017, though the brewery was damaged once before in a traffic incident.
The family-owned and family-run brewery prides itself on its constantly rotating menu of beers, many of which are brewed in-house. Just last month, the brewery unveiled a new pizza kitchen.
“You always wonder what it is they’re going after. Usually cash, but we’ve got an iPad sitting in the back for employees to clock in and clock out,” Sundstrom. “For me, being the brewer, my thought is, ‘Oh my gosh, are they dumping all of the beer from the tanks?’”
Fortunately, the brewery’s beer tanks were untouched.
“The community around us, even online, has just shown us so much support,” Sundstrom said. “While it’s quite annoying and quite frustrating, we will be okay.”
The burglary is still under investigation. Those who may have information on the incident can contact the Signal Hill Police Department’s Detective Bureau at 562-989-7214.
Ten Mile Brewing Company is located at 1136 E Willow St, Signal Hill.
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