Memphis has witnessed a series of smash-and-grab thefts targeting vape stores in a span of a few hours. According to a report by Action News 5, the Exxon Hop-In gas station on Germantown Parkway fell victim to a break-in early Saturday morning around 1:39 a.m. Memphis Police Department reports that two unidentified male suspects, one with a burgundy hoodie and the other in a black t-shirt, broke the front door window with a hammer and made off with various vape products.
Subsequently, another incident occurred at Vapor Wize located at 5030 Poplar. As WREG reports, at around 4:30 a.m., two individuals rammed a dark-colored car, possibly a Nissan Sentra or Altima, into the store's entrance causing extensive damage and stealing approximately $6,000 worth of merchandise and $300 in cash. The perpetrators then fled the scene driving south on Mendenhall.
The owner of Vapor Wize, known as Rae Rae, expressed frustration over the frequent break-ins and the insurance coverage challenges they pose. "It’s a very long process and because we have a lot of break ins, insurance companies are not giving us insurance anymore, so it’s very tough," Rae Rae told WREG. They added, "We are not punishing them the right way. They are getting a slap of hand, they are not being judged for what they are doing. That’s why it’s too much."
Despite the setback, Rae Rae is determined to keep the business running. "I cannot afford to be closed and I won’t allow them to beat me. I’m always going to be up, it’s not gonna stop me," Rae Rae conveyed in a statement obtained by WREG.
Information on these crimes has been disseminated and the Memphis Police Department encourages anyone with useful details to call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH, as echoed in a report by FOX13 Memphis.
