Welcome to the Hill: Thief busts into newly moved-in video store - UPDATE

Don't enjoy this news too much, Pioneer Square. Third Man Video recently completed its move from 1st Ave to E. Pine. This morning, the new Capitol Hill business received an ugly welcome to the neighborhood: an early morning break-in that left owner Shane Benson more sleepy and annoyed than anything.

Benson tells CHS that sometime around 5 AM this morning, one of his new neighbors saw a man walking down the street with Third Man's cash drawer. The glass front door to the video store had been busted with a rock. By the time cops arrived, the man could not be found. The neighbor said the man with the cash drawer appeared to be a homeless person.

Benson said the cash drawer was empty so the burglar didn't make off with much. Third Man's door that the burglar busted is double-sided safety glass, Benson said. Cops told him to add a metal gate. He also said the cops told him break-ins are a big problem on Pine.

They're a big problem across all of the Hill right now. SPD data showed a 9% rise in break-ins both commercial and residential through September 2009, the latest statistics available from the department. And September's year-over-year numbers were really bad. Compared to September 2008, September 2009 saw a more than 24% jump in Hill burglaries. We might have to start a new advertiser feature here on the site: Third Man as well as Po Dog and Healeo are all CHS sponsors who have suffered recent break-ins.

Benson said this isn't the first time his business has been busted into -- it happened once in Pioneer Square, too.

UPDATE 10:10 AM:
Don't know if either of these involved more than broken glass, but two more reports this morning of broken business front doors on the Hill:

•  @blueholly reports catering operation Mangetout on 19th Ave E has a broken glass door this morning.
• @JennyH8 reportst a broken door and a police officer at the scene on 15th Ave E's 22 Doors.