Glass company struggles to keep up after surge of break-ins

RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Thieves breaking windows and doors of area businesses are becoming more common. Unfortunately, the owners who are left sweeping up the broken glass could be waiting weeks for a replacement. 

Westside Glass in Rio Rancho says they have been fielding more calls than usual this year, a lot of them from retail shops. 

“We just did a window at a frozen yogurt shop the other day in Rio Rancho, and then there is a Master Cleaners, we are scheduled to fix their door tomorrow,” said Morgan Johnson, owner of Westside Glass.  

It’s a similar story we have heard from the business owners themselves – and some examples are more extreme than others 

“We had a lady drive through the storefront. It completely took out the door and the side windows,” Grove Boutique Owner Leticia Leyba said last month. 

“It’s been very busy here, there have been a lot of businesses that have called about their glass, either their window has been broken or it’s their door’s glass. We have seen it when people jiggling and yanking on the handle causing the door to fall off the hinges and shatters,” Johnson said. 

But it might be a while before a crew is able to make it out with a replacement, and it’s not because of supply chain issues. 

“I think our biggest issue is just keeping up with the demand of all these calls,” Johnson explained. 

Johnson says they have plenty of glass in their warehouse ready to go out to businesses, but it’s the demand that they are struggling to keep up with. 

“If it’s not an emergency we might be able to get out there in a week to two weeks when we can take care of it, it depends on the type of glass. If we have it in stock or if we have to order it,” Johnson said. 

And it’s not just business break-ins that are filling up their books, it’s car break-ins too. Westside Glass’ only auto technician is just as busy as their business crews—replacing up to six or seven car windows a day. 

“We have had so many insurance claims. People calling saying their door glass is broken or the back glass, and they need it right away,” said Johnson. 

Johnson says while they are getting more calls than usual they are trying their best to get everyone the replacements they need.