The Brief
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- An alleged stolen car crashed into a Tempe store around 3 a.m., allowing a masked suspect to steal merchandise.
- The suspect primarily took disposable vapes before fleeing in a separate vehicle that was waiting outside.
- Tempe police currently have no suspects, and the store owner is offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to an arrest
TEMPE, Ariz. – A stolen truck slammed into a Tempe smoke shop early Sunday morning, and the crooks got away with high-demand vape pens in a second vehicle, and it was all caught on camera.
The backstory:
“I checked the cameras, and I see a car parked right in the back of the store, like, right in the middle of the store,” owner Fadi Sayed said.
His surveillance video shows the SUV bust through the smoke shop’s windows and land in the middle of the store.
“I thought it was either a drunk driver or a snatch and grab, you know, and like, my heart started pumping right away, and I got really nervous,” Sayed added.
What we know:
Tempe police said the thieves used a stolen car from Phoenix.
Surveillance video on Nov. 2 shows the driver getting out wearing a mask and start taking items, putting them all in a cooler. Sayed said the thief seemed to focus on vape products.
“A bunch of disposable vapes,” Sayed said.
Their accomplice waited outside and honked the getaway car, giving the all clear to load up the stolen merchandise. They made one more trip back before driving off.
Sayed described the act as “very reckless, very, very stupid.”
What they’re saying:
The shop still looked like a war zone as of Sunday afternoon, with shards of glass everywhere and yellow tape blocking off part of the entrance.
Many of Sayed’s regular customers showed up today scratching their heads at what they saw.
“Did someone, like, drive through the place? Did a tornado happen? Like, it’s crazy,” a customer asked.
While Sayed said the suspects did get away with inventory, it isn’t anything compared to the cost of the damage.
“Oh, a lot of damage,” Sayed said. “The door’s gone, like we need a new gate. You know, the showcases are destroyed.”
Dig deeper:
But even through the mess, he fulfilled orders through a side door today. While Sayed has a positive outlook, in today’s economy, he said he can’t afford to be out of business for even a day.
“We can’t close. We can’t afford to close,” he said.
He said business and his customers are the priority.
“As long as nobody’s hurt, you know. Tomorrow’s a new day. You know, we’re going to pick up the pieces and, you know, things will be better than before, hopefully,” Sayed said.
What’s next:
Tempe police do not have any suspects at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.
Sayed said he is offering a $30,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest.
