Four smoke shops in Chicago were burglarized in an overnight spree from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, with the perpetrators escaping with more than $2,000 and thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.
The alarm sounded early Wednesday morning as two unmasked burglars bust their way into Urban City Smoke Shop in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood. The owner, Richard Karamian, got the call soon afterwards.
“I’m just off the highway. I’m an easy target pretty much,” Karamian told NBC Chicago. “I’m kind of depressed man cause it’s always happening you know?
His smoke shop is where the duo ended their burglary spree, beginning hours earlier at Cali Smoke Shop on Roosevelt Road. In that instance, the suspects bashed through the glass door and destroyed the metal gate before getting inside and stealing product and cash.
“As long as everybody is safe you know? That was the main point for me, and we’ll take the rest from here,” owner Sam Atya said.
A CBD Kratom location was also among the stores broken into overnight.
"I am familiar with the area that I’m in but I didn’t really expect for anything to happen of this magnitude. There is a lot of traffic in which some unsavory characters might pass. Never thought it would come to this," the owner said.
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The suspects stopped by in the midnight hour before making their way over to another smoke shop on Milwaukee Avenue at approximately 1:30 a.m.
Surveillance video shows them exiting a white Kia before breaking into the store and loading the vehicle with stolen merchandise. Police believe the same white Kia was used in at least three of the smoke shop break ins.
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For at least Urban City Smoke Shop, the owner said that this is the third time in just one year that his business has been the target of burglaries.
While he is discouraged, he’s working with police and his insurance company. Anyone with information on the incidents is encouraged to contact Chicago police.
