Patience wearing thin: More store owners suffering crash-and-grab crimes

SHORELINE, Wash. - How many times can one business be ransacked by crash-and-grab criminals before the owner shuts down for good? That’s the tough decision facing a convenience store in Shoreline.

The location has been hit several times already, but Thursday morning, the owner suffered one of his costliest burglaries yet.

The owner, Bobby, said he's still calculating the damages, but it looks like he'll be out at least $30,000.

"These guys came in, they backed their car up to the door," Bobby said.

The latest crash-and-grab happened at Bobby's Shell station in Shoreline at 5:42 a.m. Thursday.

"Four guys with masks on—one didn't have a mask, actually—they went to the inside of the store," Bobby said. "They took my whole safe with a lot of cash inside. They took cigarettes, they took lighters, a lot of other valuable items."

The theft happened conveniently 18 minutes prior to opening.

"My door broken, my door frame broken," Bobby said.

Bobby told FOX 13 News the criminals did the job in about five to seven minutes. In that amount of time, they stole cigarettes and his entire safe.

"We, we feel very unsafe," Bobby said. "My employees, me, we are having a lot of damages. It's hard to run a business like that."

Bobby said this is becoming a weekly occurrence.

On Oct. 27, his Chevron station in Ballard was hit around 1:30 a.m.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: VIDEO: Two gas stations in Ballard area robbed overnight; Seattle Police investigating

"Seven kids came in, they stole all my vaping products. About $8,000 to $10,000 [worth of] damage," Bobby said.

In the last two years, Bobby said he's dealt with around five or six smaller break-ins. Now, the incidents are getting bigger—and costlier.

"That's the sad part," Bobby said. "We keep putting [in] more money for the safety and security of the store. I'm thinking, we're not putting any money in our pocket. There's no profit, and we keep spending more and more money into the store."

He said he's done almost everything possible to protect his livelihood.

"We increased the security, we put [in] bulletproof glass doors—I thought, I'm covered. But, no, they always find a way to get in, you know," Bobby said.

But, at this rate, more money is literally driving out the door.

"I don't know exactly what else we can do to secure our store and our property," Bobby said.

Bobby is calling on local police, the sheriff's office, and city and county leaders to step up and do something to protect small businesses.

According to Seattle Police Department, the robbery unit is investigating the Oct. 27th burglary in Ballard and is working to identify suspects.

Shoreline Police Department told FOX 13 News that officers collected evidence Thursday morning at the Shell Station, including fingerprints. Police didn't have much to share, other than they think they will discover a lead.