Warm hugs welcome customers at the door of Kazoo Sushi restaurant in historic Japantown in San Jose. 

Although it’s all smiles, it was glass and shattered hearts on Friday as employees found the front door broken into using a cement sewage block and the cash register gone. 

Sean Yang, the owner of Kazoo, said he took a big loss. 

“A small shop like us we don’t have a lot of cash to steal,” he said. “We are just making a day to day living.”

It’s the latest in a series of burglaries in the past few months in the area.

Japantown is made up of about two dozen family-owned businesses who have become targets and are now shaken by the crime spree.

Across the way Kumako Ramen had their door broken and cash register stolen on Tuesday around 5:45 a.m. 

A coffee shop owner nearby spotted the burglar in action and called the police.

The owner of Kumako, Michael Cruz, said it’s not only financial but a loss of a sense of security.

“The restaurant is going to be your baby and coming home to see your baby all scratched up it hurts,” he said. “Bu at the same time, you can only do so much.”

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