A Colorado Springs business falls victim to 3 ‘smash and grab’ burglaries in less than a year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A burglary that happened over the weekend is now the third time a Colorado Springs business has fallen victim to a break-in.

Since April 2021, Sam's Smoke Shop has been broken into and had items stolen three times. The robberies began just months after the store, located at the Star Ranch Plaza in southwest Colorado Springs, opened.

Sam's Smoke Shop first opened it's doors for business in early 2021. The first time they fell victim to a break-in was in April 2021. The second incident was in January 2022. The most recent burglary happened Sunday, May 1 around 1:10 a.m.

Security camera footage obtained by 13 Investigates captured the latest break-in. In the footage, three individuals, all wearing masks, are seen using a truck and a chain to tear off the front door of the store. After the front door is pulled off its hinges, two of the suspects are seen heading into Sam's Smoke Shop. Less than a minute later, the suspects run back out with items from the store.

The Colorado Springs Police Department told 13 Investigates all three burglaries are under investigation, but none of the suspects have been identified at this time. However, investigators believe the truck used to tear the door off of Sam's Smoke Shop on Sunday is believed to be stolen out of Pueblo.

Investigators believe the three burglaries Sam's Smoke Shop experienced are unrelated to each other.

Lt. Jim Sokolik with the Colorado Springs Police Department says this is a classic example of a "smash and grab" burglary.

"Somebody breaks in the window, kicks in a door runs in real quick grabs some really highly portable items and is back out within just moments, sometimes just minutes, sometimes just a few seconds," Lt. Sokolik told 13 Investigates.

The owner of Sam's Smoke Shop says the broken door will cost him approximately $1,200.