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Seattle smoke shop owner shoots at thieves during second break-in this week
The owner of a smoke shop in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood is cleaning up again after thieves smashed through his storefront for the second time this week.
SEATTLE - The owner of a smoke shop in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood is cleaning up again after thieves smashed through his storefront for the second time this week.
What they're saying:
The owner of Xhale Tobacco, a family-run business for 15 years, said he stayed overnight to protect his store after a break-in attempt on Monday.
When suspects tried to get in again early Wednesday morning by smashing a car into the front of the store, the owner fired his gun to scare them away.
He told FOX 13 Seattle that he felt frustrated by the repeated attempts and that the suspects were unable to steal anything this morning.
"If my family gave 15 years, I will give 15 years more. This thing can't stop us. Doing this, that just means I ended the love of my life. So I'll keep on doing it. and wait for next time and see what happens next time. Because it will not be easy next time," the owner said.
According to police, suspects in the earlier break-in on Monday arrived in multiple cars, wore masks, and filled garbage bags with merchandise before leaving. The suspects abandoned a stolen car and fled in two other vehicles.
The backstory:
The owner of Xhale Tobacco, which was also robbed in 2021, said the break-ins have left him struggling to sleep and questioning how to keep the business safe. Despite the costs and concerns, he said his family will stay in business because so many of them depend on the store to make a living. A GoFundMe was started to help cover costs.
Seattle police are still investigating the two break-ins. Anyone with information is asked to call the Seattle Police Department's violent crimes tip line at 206-233-5000.
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Seattle smoke shop hit again this week
A Greenwood smoke shop is dealing with two smash-and-grabs this week.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Police Department and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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