Two convenience stores owned and operated by the same man were burglarized within 48 hours of each other. The crimes at Saleh’s (Crown Hill) and Iman’s (Ballard) will cost the businesses thousands of dollars, according to owner Steven Salah.
Less than 48 hours after the break-in at Iman’s, security cameras captured the burglar at Saleh’s early Sunday morning. The thief smashed his way in with a large rock, then grabbed a cash register and fled. The entire crime took just a few minutes.
Saleh says he believes the crimes may have both been by the same person. “To have someone come in and do this, it’s frustrating,” he says.
“It has happened at least 20 times in the last 19 years I’ve owned the business,” said Saleh, “If I come in and I see (a suspect) inside my property doing damage … I don’t know what I will do but I will definitely attack him.”
Saleh believes the issue is part of a larger problem. His anger is shared in Seattle’s Loyal Heights neighborhood which has seen an increase in petty crimes, according to residents.
Lower photo by Photo KOMO news
