MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local liquor store is dealing with the fallout of two break ins in two weeks — just weeks after dealing with the Silicon Valley Bank collapse leaving them to pay employees out of pocket.
Gaslight Wine and Spirits has been on Summer Avenue for 50 years. The family-owned businesses' two top priorities are now locking their doors and keeping their security cameras on.
“They actually took a sledgehammer and hit through this door,” employee Brian Haeberle said. “Once they were able to lever it off the wall, they pushed it to the side and ran to where our high-end tequilas are and grabbed whatever they were looking for.”
Haeberle said from his understanding, MPD arrived as the suspects were attempting to leave the store and that officers began to chase after the suspects then stopped.
The Memphis Police Department (MPD) has a policy that regulates police chases to prevent danger to the public but are following the investigation closely. Officers said a silver, four-door infinity was backed up to the business waiting on the suspects inside, then the infinity fled the business eastbound on Summer.
Right now, MPD is looking for four Black men wearing dark clothing.
“Just product alone is upwards of $8,000,” Haeberle said. “Now you have the cost of both gates, the cost of making sure our security cameras are working functionally.”
While he knows break-ins are a consistent problem in Memphis, he simply wishes it wasn’t their business at the forefront of these crimes.
“You’re hurting local business, it’s not like some chain or anything like that, it’s people who are actually trying to make ends meet,” Haeberle said.
Officers that Haeberle spoke with said the evidence in this crime could be connected with other break-ins in the area, so the store is taking new precautions to reinforce security.
If you have any tips related to break-ins, please contact the Memphis Police Department.