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Police search for serial burglary suspect they say is targeting homes, businesses

Police said detectives are working to identify a serial burglary suspect who they say was caught on camera breaking into unlocked homes and businesses in South Seattle.

The man has targeted at least nine places since December, according to investigators, usually near Rainier Avenue South and Martin Luther King Jr Way South.

KIRO 7 spoke to one business owner in the area who said he wasn’t surprised.

Long Nguyen, owner of Rainier Farmer’s Market, said his business has been broken into three times since October 2018 and shared surveillance video of a man who pushed through a wall into his shop. Nguyen said someone tried to break into his business Friday.

"The first time they kicked the door down,” said Nguyen, who said the businesses around his have also been targets of burglars.

Nguyen showed KIRO 7 damage to the building where he said people have tried, unsuccessfully, to break into his business.

“How are you feeling?” asked KIRO 7 reporter Michael Spears.

"Well, my insurance dropped me,” said Nguyen.

Police said the serial burglar, who is not the same suspect in Nguyen’s latest break-in, is going after jewelry, electronics and even liquor.

"Should we be surprised?" said Pat Murakami, President of the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council. "We've had a history of problems especially near mass transit stops.”

As police work to identify the serial burglary suspect, Nguyen said he worries every day about his business.

"We close down the store, turn the alarm like OK, am I going to have a good night's sleep?” said Nguyen.

Call Seattle police if you can identify the serial burglary suspect.

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