ODESSA, Mo. — Multiple business owners in Odessa, Missouri, are frustrated after a string of break-ins over the weekend after the town's trick-or-treat event.
The owners of Added Touch Salon, The Loft and Bill’s Automotive told 41 Action News their businesses were broken into sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
They said whoever broke in stole money from the registers and items from around the shops.
Carol Peters, Added Touch owner, said the weekend started off great because of the town's downtown trick-or-treating.
"It was such a great evening," Peters said.
Peters said she usually takes the register home at night, but it slipped her mind with the excitement of trick-or-treating. The next morning, she discovered her salon had been ransacked and the money in the register was gone, along with a few other items like a microwave, laundry basket, aluminum foil and Halloween candy.
"It makes you feel so violated," Peters said. "I've been in this business here in Odessa for 51 years, and I have not seen this kind of rash break-ins."
Peters said she loves living in Odessa, and a crime like this is shocking.
"Just makes you sad because Odessa is such a nice town," Peters said. "It's a great place to live and great place to raise kids."
Shannon Quick, The Loft owner, said the back window of her building was smashed and whoever broke in stole money from the register, tools and ransacked her candle production room.
Quick said it is not something she would ever imagine would happen in Odessa.
"It's just a great place," Quick said, "and I hate to see one bad apple ruin the bunch because this really is an awesome little town."
Quick plans on beefing up her security around the store.
"We are planning on adding cameras," Quick said. "I hate to say it, but we'll probably put in an alarm system. You know, that's just things that have to be done."
Quick said she usually puts the register in a safe at night, but like Peters, it slipped her mind with the excitement of trick-or-treaters.
She said the crimes, while rare, will serve as a reminder to always stay vigilant.
"That stinks for us," Quick said. "Lesson learned."
Quick hopes anyone with information will call the Odessa Police Department.
