‘A traumatic experience,’ says store owner as hers & neighboring businesses hit by thieves – they’ve taken drastic steps
A BUSINESS owner is still reeling from an attack on her shop that led her to hire private security.
Locals say there has been a spike in crime that is impacting more and more residents and businesses recently.
The string of robberies in Denver, Colorado, has raised many concerns — especially for the people most directly impacted.
The latest theft occurred on Tuesday at a small clothing boutique in a strip mall on the 4700 block of Peoria.
Noemi Yac, the owner of Noemi Boutique, recounted the traumatic story to reporters at local ABC affiliate KMGH.
Three men and a woman brazenly entered her store, while it was open, and started grabbing items and shoving them into their bags, Yac claimed.
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They worked quickly, Yac said, and then all left the store together without paying for anything.
“ [It was] a traumatic experience,” Yac told KMGH, in Spanish.
The thieves did not try to hide their identities — their faces were clearly caught on surveillance footage.
“They opened bags and started grabbing belts, hats,” the store owner said.
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She lamented that theft was a growing issue which was also impacting her neighbors.
"I'm not the only victim,” she said.
MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IMPACTED
Workers at Boost Mobile, located directly next door to Noemi Boutique, agreed with Yac.
“We’ve been noticing the crime rate go up as far as theft,” employee Leslie Sandoval told local reporters.
"It’s gotten definitely worse. They’ll take headphones and leave boxes empty, basically snatching stuff and walking away with it.”
The situation has gotten bad enough that they have had to up their security measures, Sandoval said.
“We tape the speakers now, and we leave them empty. We used to have them displayed,” she explained.
It’s gotten definitely worse. They’ll take headphones and leave boxes empty, basically snatching stuff and walking away with it.
Leslie Sandoval
They have also increased the number of security cameras throughout the store, she added.
“We're busy. This is one of the busiest stores, as you can see. So we don't have a way to always keep track of what's really goes on,” she said.
LOOKING TO A BETTER FUTURE
Yac said that she had invested in private security since the theft on Tuesday.
“What happened, happened, but hopefully there will be justice,” she said.
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KMGH contacted the Denver Police Department about the string of thefts, but they said they could not confirm if more patrol cars would be sent to the area.
Business owners can always call the police to request additional patrolling in an area if they are feeling unsafe, the police added.