On April 11, Chung Kim, 73, made a mistake that cost him $500, left him shaken, and placed him among a growing number of victims of so-called "smash and grab" burglaries in Howard County.

Kim owns the Symphony Woods Lobby Shop, a convenience store in downtown Columbia that sells candy, cigarettes, sodas and other similar items.

When he closed his shop on April 11, he hid the day's earnings in what he thought was a safe spot in the shop, he said, adding that normally, he takes the money home.

When he arrived at work the next day he found the glass to the front door of his shop smashed and $500 stolen.

On May 21, a thief, or thieves, hit Kim's shop again. This time, he had removed the day's earnings but the thief -- who again smashed the glass in the front door -- stole $150 worth of cigarettes and coins.

Kim was stunned. "Why me ?" he asked himself.

Businesses hit 56 times

The crimes Kim suffered are among a spike in "smash and grab" burglaries that occurred between January and May in the county, according to Howard County police.

In most of the cases, thieves have used a rock or other heavy object to shatter a glass door or a window to enter a business and then quickly moved through the building, usually racing against an alarm, stealing valuables.

Fifty-six such burglaries occurred in the county in the first five months of this year, compared to 16 during the same period in 2007, according to police.

The most likely explanation for the hike is that a small group of burglars is committing most of the crimes, said Pfc. Bryce Buell, a police spokesman.

"Criminals tend to stick with what works for them," he said. "Oftentimes in cases like this, when we make an arrest or two the numbers tend to decrease."

While the majority of the burglaries occurred at restaurants, liquor stores and convenience stores, thieves also targeted auto repair shops, beauty salons, office buildings and gas stations.

Criminals stick to plan

Adam Carton, 39, the owner of Frisco Grille and Cantina, in Columbia, said his store was hit twice in recent months.

Both times thieves tossed a rock through the glass front door. On the first occasion, thieves struck an ATM machine; on the second, they went immediately to the cash register and a safe.

"They obviously had a plan, they stuck to it, because there were lots of other things they could have taken," Carton said of the second incident.

After the first burglary, which occurred about six months ago, Carton installed a surveillance camera that filmed the burglars during the second robbery, which occurred in May.

Sandra Burdette, co-owner of Clarksville Flower Station, in Clarksville, said thieves also moved quickly through her business when they hit it May 12, setting off an alarm.

"I guess these people who do these ... must realize how much time they have before the police are dispatched," she said.

Police recommend that business owners install alarms and surveillance cameras, leave cash registers open and empty overnight and, if necessary, leave money in safes that are firmly attached to a wall or the floor. Owners also should never leave the interior of the business completely dark.

Kim said he is planning to install an alarm in his store.

Kim, who moved to Columbia 12 years ago, had always thought of Howard County as safe, but is beginning to doubt that now, he said.

"It's a nice place to live in -- it's a lot safer than D.C. -- but I don't see it as a safe place anymore," he said. "Every place you go there's crime."

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