In a brazen early morning heist, a group of nearly a dozen teenagers used a stolen SUV to smash their way into a Normandy Park vape shop, according to local authorities. The incident, which took place before 3 a.m. Monday resulted in extensive damage to Tobacco Studio and Vape on First Avenue South and an estimated $30,000 worth of stolen merchandise. The Normandy Park Police reported that after the suspects backed the vehicle into the entrance, they quickly proceeded to loot the store.

Surveillance footage reviewed by police shows the vehicle plowing into the shop front, allowing "as many as 11" burglars to storm in and seize products off the shelves before making their getaway in two other vehicles—one also reported as stolen from Seattle—as per KOMO News. The store owner had alerted the police to the break-in after being notified by the shop's security system.

This robbery adds to the trend of 'crash-and-grab' burglaries witnessed in western Washington. The community is grappling with the ramifications of these brazen acts, which seem to be escalating in their boldness and frequency. KING 5 reported this incident as part of a persistent pattern that has merchants and residents on edge.

The investigation is ongoing, with police actively seeking to identify the suspects involved. Meanwhile, the community has radially to come together, offering support to the affected business and pressing for swift action to be taken against the rise in property crimes. Anyone with information has been urged to contact the Normandy Park Police Department to aid in the capture and to bring these suspects to justice, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle.