Buna Coffeehouse with the windows repaired after the burglary.

Buna Coffeehouse, located at 4400 Georgia Avenue, was broken into overnight on January 2nd. The thieves broke a window on the side of the coffee shop and stole money from the register. Fortunately, Buna has a lot of security cameras, so MPD was able to get images of the people responsible for the burglary.

According to Buna’s owners, this is the first time the coffee shop has had this type of event, but not the first time the block they’re on has dealt with crime.

They said there was a shooting in the alley behind the coffee shop, off of Webster Street on Monday the 6th. The empty building next to the church allegedly has people squatting in it, with signs of drug dealing and other activities going on.

The apartment building down the block on Webster, which has been empty for some time, has also been a haven for criminal activity, said Buna co-owner Mastewal Worku. He and his wife Senaite Abebaw own Buna, and said crime has seen a strong uptick in the past three months. They have owned the location for 18 years, previously running a convenience store on the corner of Webster and Georgia Avenue.

”We used to stay open until 7pm,” Senaite said, “But we close at 5 now. With it getting dark earlier, it just doesn’t feel safe to stay open.”

”It wasn’t like this before,” Mastewal said. “There’s been issues in the past, but recently it’s gotten bad.”

He mentioned a nearby building that’s currently under construction and said he saw people steal equipment. The dollar store down the block on Georgia Avenue was robbed three times last year, he said. “They’ve had to put up steel bars on the windows to keep people out. We used to have wire on our windows, but that’s not what you want to have for a coffee shop, right?”

Both he and Senaite said what they haven’t seen is an increase in MPD presence in the area. “Where are the police? They were here after the theft, but then we haven’t seen any on the street in months,” Senaite said.

There was a shooting today at Iowa and Buchanan, with people hiding behind cars as shots rang out, and there was a shooting at 7th and Varnum the other night.

It’s not a quiet new year.

That said, Buna Coffee house is great — their coffee is on point, and their bakery and sandwiches will definitely keep you coming back.

Go pay them a visit and show them the neighborhood cares about our local businesses. Your taste buds will thank you.