DETROIT – A Detroit store owner is fed up after a bold thief got into his store by breaking in through the roof.
He said his store has been broken into the same way two other times in the last year. The break-ins convinced the owner to subscribe to the city's Green Light camera program.
Police are now seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the man seen in surveillance video breaking into the liquor store in the 15000 block of Mack Avenue on Detroit’s east side.
Police said the man broke into the Maryland Liquor Store about 2 a.m. on March 24 by cutting a hole in the store's roof and literally dropping in.
"It's not even worth it to go through all that, you know," store manager Tony Gabrail said.
It's unclear if the thief realized the cameras were working. The business was halfway through installing the Greenlight Project, which allows Detroit police to monitor stores via surveillance.
Once inside, the man doesn't take much; he ripped off a few scratch-off lottery tickets, some cigarette boxes and one bottle of liquor. He left the same way he dropped in: the roof.
The man is described as black with a dark complexion and a mustache. In surveillance video, the man is seen wearing a dark-colored hat, black jacket, black pants and shoes.
The manager is optimistic since the green light is now blinking outside this will be the last time someone decides to break in.
"That's before. Not anymore since we have the Greenlight extra cameras. I don't think they can get in here no more," Gabrail said.
Anyone with information on this break-in is asked to call the Detroit Police Department at 313-596-5540.