Two young suspects tried to break into a vape shop on Woodward Avenue near Princeton Road late Saturday night, and Berkley police are now asking the public for help figuring out who they are. Surveillance footage shows one of them appearing to use a gallon-size paint can to try to smash through the glass door of the Vape Hut before both fled into the dark.
According to ClickOnDetroit, the attempted break-in happened around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the shop, which sits off Princeton Road on Woodward Avenue. Police shared the surveillance video showing the first suspect going after the glass door with the paint can, but the attempt apparently fell apart before anyone got inside, and the suspects took off before officers could arrive.
What the Suspects Looked Like
The first suspect is described as a boy approximately 14 to 18 years old, wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, dark pants marked with white writing or a logo on the left leg, and white shoes. Investigators say it's possible his clothing ended up stained with brown paint, since the can appears to have burst open during the struggle with the door, per the same account.
The second suspect is described only as someone around 12 to 14 years old wearing all dark clothing. That suspect does not appear anywhere in the surveillance footage that police have released, leaving a much thinner trail for anyone trying to help identify them.
Police Asking for Tips
Berkley police are now leaning on the public to fill in the gaps the video can't. Anyone with information about the incident or the identities of either suspect is asked to contact Berkley police detectives at 248-658-3390.
Attempted break-ins at vape and smoke shops have popped up elsewhere this year too, though the outcomes have varied widely. In Georgia, the Gwinnett County Police Department asked for the public's help identifying suspects caught breaking into a vape shop in Hoschton, while police in Florida went public with surveillance video after a failed break-in attempt at a vape shop in Miramar, according to NBC 6 South Florida. For now, Berkley's case remains open, with no suspects identified and the full details of the encounter still unclear beyond what the video captured.
