Bon Fresco: Update

While manning the register at work today, I struck up a conversation with two plain clothes detectives from the Howard County police department regarding the break in.

The detectives requested anonymity because of the ongoing nature of the investigation. They spent about two hours looking over the security tapes at Bon Fresco, attempting to locate footage of the suspects.

As it turns out, the security cameras were set to record continually, not for motion detection. Since the date when the cameras first recorded activity, the hard drive of the corresponding computer system has been slowly filling up with footage of Bon Fresco employees and guests.

The detectives learned that the hard drive filled to capacity on June 27th, two days before the break in. In short, the suspects were not caught on camera. The cameras, computer system and security system have since been restructured, so don't get any ideas!

Bon Fresco: Broken Into

At this time I don't have much to give you. I spoke with the owner, Gerald Koh, this morning. He told me the suspect was caught on the security camera breaking into the restaurant by pitching a rock through the back window.

Both windows on the back door were smashed clean and had been swept into a box by the time I arrived this morning. I wasn't scheduled to work, but I wanted to help if I could. Koh said the suspect had hit other establishments over the course of the night, four or five. I left a message for the officer who took the police report, but nothing has been posted on the Howard County police website as of yet.

Koh said the suspects took money. Upon a visual inspection, nothing else appears to be missing. I guess the food is so good they couldn't wait for Bon Fresco to open to eat it. That elicited a small laugh from Koh. As I sit here, typing, trying to analyze what happened, I wonder why Koh didn't remove the money from the registers after closing last night? There's no office or safe in Bon Fresco? I am however, thankful for the security cameras, and the fact that we all still have jobs.

Stop In The Name Of The Law!

Did you know its against the law to ride a bicycle through the Oakland Mills village center? I didn't know and I didn't give much attention to the black man sitting on the planter yelling at me to get off my bike. At first I thought what's his malfunction?

Last Friday, I was biking back from an interview with Linda Morris at the lakefront. I ride across the pedestrian bridge and took a detour through the village center to take a few pictures. On my way out, pedaling casually, the man stopped me and said I had to get off my bike and walk it or he'd call the police. "OK man, you do that, have a nice one," I replied coolly. Just to be sure, I read the list of rules on the corner of the block of stores on my way out.

Lo and behold, the use of rollerskates, scooters, skateboards and bicycles is prohibited. What a stupid rule I thought. While we're on the subject, Oakland Mills is as much a village center as Al Roker is a fortune teller. Sure it has the makings of a village center with a grocery store and a string of shops. But behind that, aside from the ice rink, there's nothing. It sucks.

As I pedaled out of the village center by Bangkok Gardens, I remembered the pale blue trailer near the bus stop that houses Howard County Police, oops. As I turned the corner, down the sidewalk, I glanced back in time long enough to see a cruiser rounding the corner. What a waste of resources.