10-04-2025
Multiple midtown Sacramento small businesses hit by break-ins, suspect in custody
SACRAMENTO -- A spike in crime in midtown Sacramento is impacting small businesses. A suspect is in custody and business owners are facing thousands of dollars in damages.
On Sunday night, Binchoyaki, Offbeat Coffee, and Oscar's were all targeted by a suspect who broke windows and, in the case of Binchoyaki, went inside the store and caused more damage.
Binchoyaki's chef and owner, Craig Takehara, said it was the second time in two weeks the business was hit by a break-in. The first time, at the beginning of April, involved a suspect breaking in through the window and stealing bottles of sake.
On Wednesday, there was still a wooden board in the window, and Takehara said he has to fix two doors damaged in the chaos when the suspect got inside.
Sacramento police confirmed to CBS13 that the suspect, Isaiah Alston, 21, was arrested on Tuesday and is facing multiple felony charges that include burglary, attempted burglary, and petty theft with two priors.
Takehara said the arrest doesn't undo the damage, though he is heartened by the quick response of the Sacramento Police Department.
"We are not making a lot of money, we are barely getting by. We are trying to do our best to keep our doors open, every day and every month this is something that a lot of small businesses also deal with," Takehara said.
In nine years of the business, he said they have never had back-to-back break-ins like this.
Sacramento police set up a surveillance camera on 10th and W streets near Binchoyaki after the first break-in. That, Takehara said, showed the city's support for small businesses and how quickly they moved to put a solution in place.
"It's nice to see something is happening. It was nice to see them put up a police monitor here on the corner. Helps everybody feel a little better, helps the guests feel better, helps my staff feel better," Takehara said.
CBS13 took these business concerns to Mayor Kevin McCarty. He was aware of the break-ins and said there had been a spike in crime in midtown. In response, he said they are moving police resources into the area more "aggressively."
"Things have changed in California. Voters voted in the fall — Proposition 36, an 80% to 20% margin. They want more accountability on the front end when people do break a law, so we're supporting law enforcement," McCarty said.
The mayor said he's heard the concerns from small business owners and recognizes that theft or crime only adds to an already challenging time for small businesses.
"We hear people. It's unacceptable that people have to show up to find their business vandalized or their car broken into. We see it's a problem. We support public safety here. We're about to adopt a budget and try not to impact core public safety responses," McCarty said.
Takehara said this moment could act as a reminder to the community: shopping and eating locally can help small businesses in the community.
