Police are investigating a sixth optometry store break-in, this time in Carmel Mountain Ranch.
The burglary at the Lenscrafters on Carmel Mountain Road off of Interstate 15 is the latest in a string of break-ins at optical shops from Escondido to Chula Vista in the last month.
Police said the burglars used a rock smash through the store's front door, then emptied racks of designer glasses. It was not clear how much loss the store suffered.
A spokesperson for LensCrafters said the store has been burglarized two other times in the past.
Police have not yet said if they believe the break-in on Tuesday is connected to about a half-dozen others across San Diego County.
On Friday, a burglary at Designer Eyes Optometry off Mira Mesa and Pacific Heights boulevards was caught on surveillance video by store owner Michael Wang.
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In it, at least four men in dark hooded sweatshirts and gloves crawled through a shattered glass door and began shoving handfuls of glasses into a duffle bag.
Wang said it amounted to tens of thousands of dollars worth of designer frames, though SDPD has not yet determined the amount of loss.
Police have not said if the men in the video are suspected in any other burglaries.
On Aug. 8, three separate burglaries occurred at optometry stores in Escondido, San Diego and La Mesa.
And in July, a break-in was reported at an optometry clinic in Chula Vista. The Chula Vista Police Department announced a reward for tips that lead to an arrest in that case.
San Diego County optometrists are aware of the break-ins and have been using Facebook to communicate with each other. One member, John Martinez, says they have been sharing tips to protect their business, like installing cameras and adding extra locks.
But, Martinez says, optometry professionals are aware that if a burglar wants a product, they will usually find a way to get it.
