CHICAGO (WLS) -- Early Monday morning, two small businesses on the Northwest Side of Chicago suffered significant damage from smash-and-grab burglaries. Surveillance footage captured crews breaking into Milano Café and Snacks 'N Smoke within a half-hour window roughly 1.5 miles apart.

At Milano Café in Avondale, Kasei Bereta reported that glass doors were shattered around 3:45 AM as three individuals smashed their way inside with hammers. Security cameras showed two burglars using sledgehammers to destroy video gaming machines while a third person took the cash drawer from behind the bar before fleeing. Despite extensive damage, only minimal items of value were taken.

About an hour later and approximately 1.5 miles away in Portage Park, Snacks 'N Smoke experienced a similar break-in where two suspects entered through a broken window with others acting as lookouts nearby. The store manager, Marcus Navarro, noted that the burglars took less than $200 worth of products despite causing significant property damage.

Both incidents left business owners frustrated and concerned about the safety of their establishments. Bereta expressed her struggle to maintain her 18-year-old café amidst increasing crime rates: "The small businesses are going down and down, people close, selling, moving, you know. It's because whatever is happening right now in Chicago is just gross."

Navarro echoed similar sentiments about the impact on local communities: “I think the hardest part is just knowing that they're hitting small businesses... These are mom and pop shops, like our owner has three kids, you know, he has a family to take care of.”

While police have not officially linked these incidents, descriptions provided by witnesses suggest similarities between the suspects involved. Both crews were seen driving off in dark-colored vehicles after their respective break-ins.

The burglaries highlight ongoing concerns for small business owners who are increasingly facing security challenges and financial strain due to repeated criminal activities targeting local enterprises.