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The thieves have struck at five businesses including the "M" Street Subway, Kikku's Japanese restaurant, and the Kern Coffee House which has been hit twice in the last ten days.
Large pieces of plywood still cover the coffee shop's windows after burglars smashed their way in.
The first time -- they took a cash register. The second time -- they took only the register's till with -- less than $100-dollars in it. But it left the owner with thousands of dollars worth of damage. It's the same story at neighboring restaurants.
Police say these types of crimes are unusual for Downtown Fresno -- and could be due to the bad economy and early jail releases.
Shop owners say police have told them to be on the look-out for this man, James Earl Whitaker. Some owners have already posted his photo on their storefront.
