Thieves caught busting through door of Hanford business may be part of larger operation

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- A new video out of the South Valley captures a couple of thieves breaking into Hanford businesses.

Police believe these suspects are part of a much larger operation that extends all across the South Valley.

Officers hope someone will recognize the people in this video, believed to be behind a string of four burglaries in just the last three weeks in Hanford.

They say in each break-in, the thieves smash their way inside the stores before loading up with as many tobacco products as they can.

But police say it's not just Hanford that has been hit hard. They've also connected the same thieves to four other similar crimes in Tulare County.

"Through this investigation, we've found this is actually occurring not just in Hanford," says Cpl. Jason Gustin with the Hanford Police Department. "We've heard of at least three to four others similar in nature that have occurred in Tulare County as well."

Several thousand dollars worth of cigarettes have been stolen in these burglaries.

Investigators say at least two suspects break into the businesses each time, but believe many more thieves are all working together to commit the crimes.