MONTICELLO--Monticello police are trying to nab whoever is responsible for a rash of break-ins downtown. Multiple businesses at the corner of North Market and Washington Streets have been hit. Mostly small amounts of cash are taken. It's been going on for months. Someone is taking a crowbar and breaking into business after business. Police think they have a suspect: A teenage boy. Until he's behind bars, victims worry he'll strike again.

It's business as usual at The Brown Bag, but when workers aren't keeping busy in the kitchen, they're brainstorming ways to keep trouble out. "This has become a rash," said Owner Harlean Swang. "A real rash." She’s talking about thieves taking off with quick cash. Two charity jars totaling about 250 dollars were stolen from this restaurant just a few weeks ago. "Whoever is doing this waits a couple days and then continues on and it doesn't seem like this is going to stop any time soon," added Leslie Glickman. The restaurant is beefing up security by adding cameras, motion sensors and lights. Victims say the crooks are hitting their block hard working their way from one business to the next taking whatever they can wrap their hands around fastest. "You just don't expect it in a small town like this," said Debra Cooklin. "You feel safe and you don't worry about leaving things here." "It just really surprised me," she added. She could believe it when her tip drawer at Jerry Bean's Salon was wiped clean along with everybody else's. "They didn't touch any product," she said. "Nothing but cash." It didn't amount to a lot, but Cooklin says a photographer who used live in her building was hit harder. "They took all of her cameras, some computer stuff and that got into thousands of dollars."

Now she and other business owners want those who've stolen to pay the price for their actions. "If I catch him, I will go after him for the full measure of the law and I don't really car how old he is," said Swang. "It's wrong."

Police say they're following up on leads. They don't have enough evidence yet to make an arrest. No one has been hurt.