An East Bay business owner is calling for stricter penalties in Alameda County to deter thieves from targeting similar stores. Velena Jones reports.
An East Bay business owner is calling for stricter penalties in Alameda County to deter thieves from targeting similar stores.
The push comes after several break-ins in the region, including a late November incident at an Emeryville market.
"Any government agencies out there work together to make this stop," said Sam Ali, who is co-owner of Nirvana Mini Mart. "Figure it out."
Ali's store last month was hit by a smash-and-grab robbery. Video of the incident shows it took only seconds for thieves to do tens of thousands of dollars in damages at Nirvana Mini Mart.
"It was almost like a movie," Ali said.
A group of at least five people are seen in video ramming a U-Haul van into the convenience store around 3 a.m. on Nov. 23. The van was stolen from Oakland and outfitted with stolen plate from another vehicle, police said.
Ali said police responded so fast, the thieves barely had time to steal anything before they took off in another getaway car.
"They were here within a minute," Ali said of the police response. "Criminals were inside no more than 28 seconds, so not a lot of stuff was taken."
But it's the damage left behind and the added security reinforcement that is hitting the small business hard.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
"This stuff here is just extra work, extra money that you have to put in," Ali said of beefing up security to prevent thefts. "It bums you out to think someone can make $40,000 worth of damage to just take a few hundred dollars worth of items."
Customers said they are sick of break-ins in the Bay Area.
"I think it's crazy. It doesn't make sense," customer Paul Burke said. "Go get a job."
Police are still looking for the people responsible for the break-in at Nirvana Mini Mart.
