PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office is investigating after four Ponte Vedra businesses in a strip mall reported burglaries that happened earlier this week.
The burglaries took place between Monday night and Tuesday morning at the four businesses in the 300 block of A1A North.
The four businesses -- identified as Transformation Pilates, All About Health, Bellezza Salon and Boutique, and Luxury Nail & Spa -- were broken into by a burglar prying open a door, deputies said.
The owner of All About Health said this wasn't this first time his store was broken into.
"I've been here almost 15 years, it's not my first rodeo. they've been here twice before. same pair of guys several years ago and broke windows and doors, ripped computers and cash drawers right off the counter and took them with them, this time," said Brad Ashmore.
Less than $800 in cash was reported stolen from the four businesses, the Sheriff's Office said.
But more importantly, the man took the owners' and employees' sense of security.
"We're just going to be extra cautious. walking each other to our cars. we lock the front and the back doors if we're here alone," said Tracy Waldeck an employee of Bellezza Hair Salon.
"I had just put a security camera up just a fes days before this happened, i just hadn't hooked the recorder up yet," said Ashmore
Images from surveillance video reveal the burglar was a bulky white male wearing a do-rag, a light-colored T-shirt, dark-colored shorts, socks and sneakers.
Anyone with any information about the burglar's identity is asked to call Detective Jon Elliott at the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office at 904-209-3989. Deputies said tipsters can also remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a cash reward by calling CrimeStoppers of N.E. Florida at 888-277-TIPS (8477).