‘The real damage is to the community’: Another business hit by smash-and-grab

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A spree of smash-and-grab burglaries continues to plague Rochester.

One of the business owners whose store was burglarized explains the motion sensors in the parking lot of his business is what alerted him. When he looked at the cameras, he saw a blue car with several people inside just looking around. It seemed a bit suspicious, so he continued to monitor things, but then the car leaves.

“So I saw them leave so I thought that was actually a good sign that they left,” says owner of Mobile gas station, Khurram Tariq. “So I felt a little better but I knew I had to be vigilant and still watch but 5 minutes later the sensor goes off again.” 

A blue car comes slamming through the front door of the Mobile gas station on the 1600 block of North Goodman. Tariq couldn’t believe what he was watching from his bed happening in his store.

“I open the app I see the screen shot of the vehicle going through the front window,” says Tariq.

His gut feeling was right. The suspects turned the car around and drove it into the store from a different direction. He then called 911 and sounded the alarm.

“I pressed the siren button. So what that does is cause an alarm in the gas station,” says Tariq. “So I think they got spooked. So I see them in the camera trying to escape but then they stopped and hesitated.”

However, these thieves realized it wasn’t police siren. They proceeded to grab what they could hopping over the counter and headed straight to the cash register, but it was cashless. They then targeted something else.

“In an attempt to escape and take the ATM, I think they had given up they couldn’t place it in the vehicle,” says Tariq.

As far as damages- Tariq explains the entrance to the store was ripped off. He now has to pay $50,000 out of pocket to repair it.

“The damage that they are causing is in the community,” says Tariq. “The second damage that they are causing I think is the stress that they are causing people.” 

Although the damage is already done, Tariq believes alarms are good to have. He believes having motion sensors in addition to an alarm is better because it alerts you before the damage is done.

Police have made one arrest so far in the early morning smash and grab burglaries.