More than 50 minors stole and vandalized a store on Friday night in a felony offense, according to new details released by police.
The Best Tobacco & Wireless convenience shop, located at 1536 Benning Road, Northeast, experienced product theft around 11:40 p.m. on Friday. According to a police report obtained by 7News, the juveniles destroyed the store’s glass door, stole, and tossed food such as chips, drinks, and candy at staff.
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The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reported that kids hurled something at a store employee’s foot, causing it to bleed.
Another employee tried to lock the entrance to prevent the children from entering the store. However, the youngsters pulled on the door, forcing it open, and he was unable to shut it, according to MPD officials.
According to MPD, the group allegedly stole things from the refrigerator and threw chips, drinks, and candy outside the store, destroying the products.
According to the police report, the youths face charges of criminal destruction of property, second-degree stealing, and simple assault.
“I’m not sure if crime is decreasing. ‘Crime is up,'” said Sajib Uddula, who owns the 24/7 Best Tobacco & Wireless business in Hechinger Mall with his wife, Tumika Alston.
“Is crime down in DC?” “Who told the lie?” Alston stated.
Uddula and Alston have a personal motive for not believing crime is decreasing. On Friday night, a significant number of youths damaged their establishment, which, in addition to tobacco items, sells a wide variety of food similar to that of a convenience store.
“The majority of the children were under the age of 15—about 10 or 12.” “That’s crazy,” Uddula exclaimed.
“Alston said, ‘I’m telling Trump to send the boys to Benning Road because this situation is crazy.'” “Then you see Dollar Tree, CVS, and 7-Eleven close down. We are trying to open a store in your neighborhood, but then this happens.
Alston’s store has been open for only a few months. She resolved to keep it open, regardless of what the youngsters did.
“If there are many hungry children, I have no problem feeding them all.” “I would give them food,” she claimed, adding that she didn’t believe the young guys who damaged the shop ate much of what they stole.
