A Brookswood business owner said two recent commercial break ins highlight fears that crime is on the rise in the 91原创 neighbourhood.
On Friday, Oct. 19, two suspects broke into the Riders Liquor Store in the 4100 block of 208th Street.
Two men, their faces covered, stole several cases of liquor worth about $5,000, said Cpl. Holly Largy, spokesperson for the 91原创 RCMP. Although there was video surveillance, the men鈥檚 disguises made them difficult to identify.
The same day, two men tried to break into the Buy-Low Foods in Brookswood.
Jean, a neighbouring business owner who asked that her real name not be used, caught part of the break in on her store鈥檚 surveillance cameras.
She said two men pulled up in a truck and got out, wearing hoodies.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got a sledge hammer, a garbage can,鈥� Jean said.
The two men hung around the front of the store for about 20 minutes, before one of them swung the sledge hammer and smashed out one of the store鈥檚 windows. They hopped inside, but left empty handed shortly afterwards.
On Oct. 28th, police believe it was the same two men who returned, driving a silver Doge Ram 1500 Sport.
Again the men checked out the area before they struck.
Jean said the burglars accosted a homeless man sleeping in a nearby business alcove and kicked him, possibly to intimidate him into not interfering.
They then went forward with their robbery plan.
鈥淭hey just slowly backed the truck right into the Buy-Low,鈥� said Jean. They smashed out the windows again with the truck鈥檚 rear bumper.
The burglars this time had brought a tool 鈥� a very large crow bar 鈥� to attack the cases of lottery tickets and cigarettes. They looted the store and were in and out in about two minutes, said Largy.
Police arrived six minutes after the theft.
It鈥檚 unclear if the Buy-Low break ins are related to the Riders Liquor Store thefts, Largy said.
Both cases are open and under investigation by 91原创 RCMP.
Theft and fraud are serious concerns for local business owners, said Jean.
鈥淚鈥檝e never seen it this bad before,鈥� she said.
Her store has had multiple incidents of credit card fraud and people using stolen identities.
They also had a break in last year that saw her front window smashed and items hauled away.
They have a lot of security to try to catch crooks like the ones committing these break and enters.
鈥淲e鈥檝e made sure we鈥檝e got the whole place lit up with cameras,鈥� she said.
Jean said she doesn鈥檛 let female employees work alone in the store alone due to safety concerns.
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