A screenshot of a surveillance video at Corner Vapes Penticton shows two individuals breaking in to the store on April 21, 2019.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Justin Chrystal
April 21, 2019 - 3:00 PM
PENTICTON — A Penticton vape shop owner has had his store broken into for a second time within this past year.
Security footage shows two individuals breaking into Corner Vapes Penticton, smashing glass and stealing products from the display case and a back room. Police have not confirmed any details of the incident. The store's owner, Justin Chrystal, posted video footage to social media showing what he found at his store this morning.
"This morning I just felt... violated, my wedding photo on the ground all crumpled up," Chrystal says on the phone.
Chrystal says he received an alert from his security system at about 5:15 a.m. signaling that something had happened at the store. However, he was not notified that the glass on the door had been shattered and the display case had been ransacked.
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The husband and father of three walks through his vape shop, tearfully explaining his situation. He says it's the second time this has happened, and that last month he says he was unable to pay his insurance.
He also says this is not the first time it's happened, though in the last incident, no items were reported stolen.
"The police officer (who responded) was surprised because it was the same cop who came by the last time my store was broken into," Chrystal says, adding that the first break in occurred this past fall shortly after his honeymoon.
In a phone interview, he told iNFOnews.ca it's been a hard month for the business. Winter profits go down four or five times what he makes in the summer, and now is the time of year where business should start to pick up.
"Last month was really hard," Chrystal recalls. "I’ve been selling my personal possessions to make ends meet.... And then this happened."
Chrystal estimates about $1,500 worth of glass was smashed, and about $1,000 worth of product was stolen, but says no cash was taken.
The store's two security cameras show two people breaking in and walking out with items from the shelves.
Since this morning a crowdfunding page has been set up to help the vape shop recoup some of the losses. Chrystal also says some other vape shops have offered to send him some stock.
When told that the crowdfunding campaign had raised $1,645 in two hours, Chrystal said, "That’s amazing. Like that’s awesome. I don’t even know what to say. Like, I’m really surprised because I’m really pissed off with my town right now, and it’s really nice that these people are reaching out to help me."
If you have any information on this incident call RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
Go here to see the GoFundMe page.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2019