Scottsdale's small business community was rattled this week by a violent attempted robbery at a local eyewear boutique, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The incident unfolded at Scottsdale Eyewear, where police say two suspects attacked employees with pepper spray and attempted to break into a display case on Monday. In a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, co-owner Leonel Garcia expressed his dismay, noting, "We're not big corporations with big pockets. We're passionate about what we do, and it sucks when somebody takes advantage of what we have to offer."
Details from a FOX 10 Phoenix article highlight the brazen nature of the attack, with suspects fleeing after the attempted heist was thwarted by store workers. Meanwhile, 12 News reports that the co-owners of Scottsdale Eyewear are physically okay but deeply concerned about future threats, with Garcia saying, "This is our livelihood," and described the attack where "one sprayed me with bear spray and then the other one punched my business partner," according to a 12 News interview.
Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported, and Scottsdale Police have confirmed that no merchandise was stolen during the incident, as Garcia and his partner managed to fend off the attackers before they could make away with any goods. Garcia recalled the harrowing experience: "My face was on fire and I wasn't sure if it was pepper spray, if it was acid, I just knew that I couldn't see and my face was on fire," he told 12 News.
Garcia also raised concerns over a pattern of crime targeting local eyewear stores in the area, noting that competitors had faced similar incidents. He reported to 12 News, "They're not the only ones doing it. Here in the Valley, there is a group of people doing it." The suspects in the Scottsdale Eyewear attack remain at large as the community rallies behind these small businesses. Garcia underlined the importance of their work to 12 News, saying, "We're a small family here in the Valley of luxury eyewear. There's no big corporations, especially a couple of locally owned opticals. And we don't want that to stop. We want to be able to do what we love doing without the fear of coming to work."
Scottsdale PD is actively seeking information that may lead to the capture of the suspects. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Scottsdale PD at 480-312-TIPS.
