A brazen overnight break-in at Mini City Tobacco & Vape on Capital Boulevard left the Raleigh shop with a shattered front door and a massive loss. Early Monday, a person smashed through the entrance with a hammer and took roughly $30,000 worth of THC flower before officers could get to the scene, according to the shop’s owner and manager. Staff members said the aftermath was chaotic and the storefront badly damaged.
Raleigh police responded to a reported breaking and entering at the Mini City storefront and have opened an investigation. The owner has asked the public to help identify the suspect and is urging anyone with surveillance footage to share it with authorities, as reported by WRAL. The owner told investigators the intruder used a hammer to force entry and made off with about $30,000 in THC flower.
Retailers See Repeat Targeting
Vape and smoke shops around the country have increasingly found themselves in the crosshairs of smash-and-grab crews, who are often after THC cartridges and flower that can be moved quickly on the street. A 2025 burglary in Pennsylvania fits the same mold, CBS reported, with thieves targeting high-value product. In the broader fight over illegal THC sales, local multi-agency operations have recently zeroed in on pot shops, including a massive THC raid described by officials.
Raleigh Police Urge Tips, Use New Tools
The Raleigh Police Department says it is leaning on targeted enforcement and community reporting this summer through its new Summer Action Plan and technology tools like CrimeMapper. Investigators are asking businesses and residents along Capital Boulevard to review their doorbell and security-camera footage and share anything that might help the case.
So far, police have not announced any arrests, WRAL reported. Officers continue canvassing the area, and the shop’s owner says the theft is a major blow to a small retailer already operating on thin margins.
