A group of thieves used a pickup truck as a battering ram Aug. 22, smashing their way into a Chatsworth smoke shop and ransacking the store.
The brazen crime occurred around 1:30 a.m. in 21700 block of Devonshire Street, where the suspects backed a stolen white truck into the front of the store, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Drake Madison told City News Service.
Surveillance video showed the truck smashing a metal security gate, after which several men wearing hoodies raided the store and grabbed merchandise before making a quick getaway in a white SUV parked outside the store, leaving the truck behind.
A smoke shop in North Hollywood also experienced an attempted break-in early Thursday. The burglars targeting that store, which is located at Burbank Boulevard and Cartwright Avenue, used an allegedly stolen SUV but were unsuccessful and abandoned the SUV and fled, according to Fox11.
Madison said the stolen vehicle was impounded and it was not immediately known what was taken. It was not immediately clear that the same burglars who robbed the Chatsworth store also tried to rob the store in North Hollywood.
Smoke City’s owner told ABC7 that the store was broken into three weeks ago, when burglars stole about $30,000 in cash and merchandise. The man, who owns multiple stores, told ABC7 that he’s been installing better security measures including metal doors with double bolts, bullet-proof glasses, and roll- down gates.
It was unclear how much merchandise was taken Thursday, but he estimated it could be around $3,000, and he expects the latest damages to cost him about $30,000 again.
