BRUNSWICK

Taking advantage of last week’s storm, an unknown person or persons apparently forced open a door to the Brunswick Diner, making off with an ATM, confirmed Brunswick police.

The break-in is thought to have occurred sometime during Monday night or early Tuesday morning. Chief Richard Rizzo said Friday the break-in was discovered by a patron on Tuesday morning at about 7 a.m.

There was no power in the area at that time, Rizzo said, disabling alarms and cameras, which created an opportunity for the heist. There are no suspects identified as of now, he said, although the case remains under investigation.

Owner of the diner, Jane Davis, who has operated the business for 20 years, said Friday afternoon she can’t imagine how the ATM was stolen, as it was bolted to the floor. She said new windows and two new doors were broken in the burglary.

“It’s sad, we’re a local icon,” Davis said. “We’ve fed locals for 20 years, and provide a comfy place for people to come. We’re home to a lot of people.”

She said the break-in has added to the stress of trying to find good help and competing with larger chain restaurants.

“We’ll pull through, but I was heartbroken,” she said, adding the community has been supportive, including a customer coming in to fix the storm door.

It is unknown at this time how much cash was in the ATM, said Rizzo. Davis said the ATM has since been replaced.

The Brunswick police chief said no other burglaries were reported in town during the storm.

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