QUEENS — Two Forest Hills restaurants within blocks of each other were burglarized early Thursday morning, cops said.
La Bella Russo Pizzeria, and Chalet Alpina, a German restaurant — located within two blocks of each other on Metropolitan Avenue, near 70th Avenue, a stretch filled with restaurants and family-owned stores, were targeted, according to the NYPD.
It was not clear if the incidents were related but in both cases the burglar entered through a rear window, cops said.
“He entered through the alleyway," said the manager at La Bella Russo, who did not want her name used. "He broke the iron bars that were on the kitchen window, he lifted the window up and came in.”
She said the burglar had broken in about 3:20 a.m., about 20 minutes after the owner of the restaurant had left for the night.
“He took money out of our change box and register, he took the tip jar and he wanted to take the safe with him but it was bolted in,” she said.
In total, she said, he took about $225 and a Kindle.
About 40 minutes later, a burglar then broke into the second restaurant, Chalet Alpina, also entering through a rear window, and stole cash, sources said.
“We are going to be more careful,” the manager at the pizzeria said. “We already have cameras but we are going to install an alarm now.”
