Emilia George, the maternity clothing store on Greenwich and Duane, was burglarized for the second time, losing nearly $4000 worth of clothing as well as damage to the storefront.

On Sunday, May 5, at approximately 3 a.m., a man broke the glass of the front door with a brick and stole clothing and other items, filling a trash bag as he went through the store. After an investigation, police arrested Hector Heredia, of 315 Bowery, a transitional shelter just north of Houston; he was charged with burglary in the 3rd degree on May 10.

Owner Elle Wang said that police told her that Heredia had 85 arrests, and she believes he is the same man who broke into the store last November. In both incidents, the store was not ransacked; rather the thief handpicked knitwear, children’s clothing and coats. The store has both video and an alarm; she is considering installing a gate.

While it was shocking to both Elle and me that a store would be robbed twice in six months, police told her it was not unusual and in fact could happen again. “They said that it often happens that when someone steals things that sell, it’s more likely for them to return to the same spot to steal more,” Elle said. “In the second break-in, he seemed to know the place and know what to take.”