LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Chris Hess showed up for work at the Country Side Quik Mart near Hunlock Creek only to find a broken front door; the store had been hit by burglars.
"And they came by the first time, they had a bag with a brick in it, and they tried to smash in the window. It didn't work, so they came back and shot out the window," said Chris Hess, Country Side Quik Mart employee.
Hess says the store's surveillance video showed two people wearing black clothing and masks going in through the broken front door and ransacking the place.
"And they smashed out our other beer cooler, and they took about four thousand dollars worth of beer and vapes," said Hess.
A similar burglary also took place in Wyoming County, where the front door was shot in, and products like beer and e-cigarettes were also stolen.
The owner of the Noxen Food Mart, Vijy Patel, got a notification on his phone when the burglars broke in early Tuesday morning.
"I got a phone call from my alarm system, like around like 2:30 a.m. and then I got a phone call from the state trooper so I said 'Hey I live in Scranton, so I said I'll be there in like 45 minutes,' and they said 'ok,' and I am, and it's already done," said Vijy Patel, Noxen Food Mart Owner.
Vijy said the thieves got in by shooting through two doors. They made off with beer and e-cigarettes.
"I feel bad because this never happened in like twelve years. This is the first time it happen. Everybody in the town say the kids aren't in the town because I've never seen them before here," said Vijy.
Despite the similarities between the burglaries in Wyoming and Luzerne Counties, state police have not said if they believe the crimes are connected.
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