WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- Police are investigating a break in that happened at a West Valley City tire shop. The crooks didn’t take a single tire but made off with the safe filled with thousands in cash, and the alleged crime was caught on camera.
Mike Russon, owner of Glen’s Tire, said the loss is a hefty one for their company.
“If you steal a hundred dollars in profit, it takes $400 or $500 to make that back in sales, so it put us in the hole,” he said.
Russon is hoping someone who watches the surveillance footage from the theft will recognize either the truck the suspect’s used, or the suspects themselves. The thieves broke into his business Monday while wearing hoods. Russon said he had been out of town for a few days, which made the theft more costly.
“Normally we keep no money on the premises, so somebody knew that I was going to be out of town for a day or two and that that’s probably were the money would go at the end of the night with no one here to collect and deposit,” he said.
Video shows a white delivery truck pull in and back up to a side window. The first suspect, wearing a white sweatshirt with a hood, goes right for the safe, which is bolted to the ground. The truck leaves, but an hour later two suspects return with crowbars to pry the safe loose.
“Whoever stole the safe and came in knew that the safe was there,” Russon said. “It was not by chance. They knew or were informed the safe was in that specific spot.”
A few key details have Russon thinking this is much more than a random break in.
“This window is the only place inside the office that doesn’t have a beacon or laser that would hit it to trip the alarm or motion sensor, and my safe sat right there--which I’ve only had in for about three weeks," he said.
Dan Sorensen installed the 12-camera surveillance system for the tire shop, and he said 95 percent of the store is under surveillance.
“Whoever broke in, they knew where the cameras were and knew where the security systems were and were able to get around security in one small area, the only vulnerable spot in the building,” Sorensen said.
Thousands of dollars were taken, plus the cost of the brand new safe and the damage done to the property.
“It’s a violation,” Russon said. “It hurts every facet of the business, and, you know, I know what I have to put into it to make a dollar and it’s just completely unfair that somebody does that.”
A police report has been filed with West Valley City Police. Anyone with any information on the suspects or vehicle is asked to contact West Valley City PD.
