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Group Offers $5,000 Reward For Upper Manhattan Restaurant Burglars

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A trade group was offering a $5,000 reward Saturday for information leading to the burglars who struck six restaurants and a bodega in Upper Manhattan.

The Northern Manhattan Restaurant Association said at a news conference Saturday that the restaurants in Washington Heights and Inwood are "the most clever gang to hit Northern Manhattan in decades."

Group Offers $5,000 Reward For Upper Manhattan Restaurant Burglars

In recent days, the burglars have struck the Arka Lounge, 4488 Broadway; the Opus Lounge, 417 W. 202nd St.; the Vacca Grill & Lounge, 416 W. 203rd St.; the Negro Claro Lounge, 3805 Tenth Ave.; the Altus Café, 4325 Broadway; Dyckman Seaman Grocery, 239 Dyckman St.; and Mia Sushi & Steakhouse, 1506 St. Nicholas Ave., the group said.

"They took our cash, safes, liquor, cameras, DJ equipment, surveillance equipment and everything they could carry out. We need to get these thugs off the streets", said spokesman Fernando Mateo.

Mateo said the burglars have been crafty in their execution.

"These guys are very clever. They know what they're doing and how they're doing it," he said. "They must have surveillance systems watching the businesses, because they do it when the businesses are really empty."

Mateo expressed confidence that the reward would help solve the case.

"I think that by offering $5,000, we all agree that we will be able to have somebody come forward and say, 'I know who's doing this," he said.

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