Masked bandits hit a pair of Massachusetts convenience stores in what authorities are investigating as potentially connected smash-and-grab lotto heists. Yesterday morning, three individuals shattered the peace alongside the glass of Salem Variety Store in Wakefield, with surveillance capturing their hasty grab of lottery scratch tickets.
While the crooks may have thought they hit the jackpot, the store’s owners were quick to report the theft and deactivate the stolen scratch-offs, rendering the heist a fruitless endeavor, as reported by CBS News Boston. An hour later, in a seemingly similar smash-and-grab, three individuals donning masks broke into the A-One Market in Peabody, and made away with a haul of the lottery's newest $50 scratch tickets.
The break-ins, roughly 12 miles apart, have sparked conversations on security and the brazenness of modern-day theft. According to an interview with NewsCenter 5, the simpatico owners of Salem Variety, Prakash and Durga Simkhada, were left reeling from the theft of the rolls worth over $6,000. In an earnest plea, Prakash said, "Don't do this stupid thing just for nothing. Work hard and make your future bright," encapsulating the sentiment of the violated but resilient.
Law enforcement authorities are piecing together the evidence, no arrests have yet been made. The Simkhadas’ concern was not solely for the loss but for family, as Prakash reflected on what could have been a more dire situation, had his niece or son been working alone that night, according to a lament shared with WCVB. With no significant leads, the local police departments are currently seeking the public’s assistance in capturing the culprits, as the communities of Wakefield and Peabody rally in support of their neighborhood stores.
