Burglars smash through door of Cheshire Bridge store

A co-owner of the Mass Appeal clothing store on Cheshire Bridge Road inspects damage caused Thursday by smash-and-grab burglars. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

A co-owner of the Mass Appeal clothing store on Cheshire Bridge Road inspects damage caused Thursday by smash-and-grab burglars. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Atlanta police Thursday were investigating a predawn smash-and-grab burglary at an upscale clothing store on Cheshire Bridge Road.

Witnesses told investigators the burglars backed a gray Honda through a garage door at the side of the Mass Appeal menswear store in the 2200 block of Cheshire Bridge Road at Alco Street just after 4 a.m., and suspects wearing all black began loading items into the vehicle, Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said.

“A second vehicle was on scene with the Honda and was described as a white Toyota Corolla,” Jones said. “Both vehicles fled the scene a short time later, traveling west on Alco Street.”

A witness called police, and officers arrived within one minute of being dispatched, but the suspects had already fled the store.

Investigators have not said how much merchandise was taken.

Store owners told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the burglary was the first break-in since the business opened about two years ago.