A smash-and-grab in El Paso, Texas, didn’t waste any time getting to the point. Surveillance footage shows two men reversing a stolen car straight into a smoke shop, then hopping out to grab as much merchandise as they could carry before speeding off.
According to KFOX14, El Paso police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the two men involved. The crash happened around 2:56 a.m. on July 30, when the pair backed a vehicle directly into the Golden Vapor smoke shop on Dyer Street.
The video tells the whole story. Once the car crashed through the storefront, the two men jumped out, ran inside, and started stuffing merchandise into bags before climbing back into the car and fleeing the scene.
By the time it was over, police say the suspects made off with $2,890 in merchandise and left roughly $5,000 in damage to the building.
The Getaway Car Was Stolen the Day Before
The vehicle used in the break-in wasn’t even the suspects’ to begin with. Police say it had been reported stolen the day prior, and it was recovered after the crime was finished, meaning the car had already burned through most of its usefulness to the suspects before they ever hit the shop.
Using a stolen vehicle as a battering ram is a tactic that generally sacrifices subtlety for speed, and this case was no different.
Police Are Still Trying To Identify Both Men
Police have released vague details of who they are looking for. The suspects are described only as white or Hispanic males, both wearing light-colored hooded sweatshirts, black face masks, and athletic shoes, a description vague enough that police are leaning heavily on the public for help.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 566-8477 (TIPS) or submit a tip online at cselpaso.org.
Commenters Question Why This Is Coming up Again
Since the smash-and-grab occurred in late July, some commenters questioned why a case from weeks ago was making the rounds again. But the timing makes more sense once the case’s actual status is factored in.
As of now, both suspects remain unidentified and haven’t been caught. Police are still actively seeking tips, relying heavily on public knowledge, which means the case is technically just as open today as it was the morning after the crash.
It’s not unusual for a case like this to resurface weeks later, especially with two suspects still unaccounted for and a business out thousands of dollars in damage. Until they’re identified, the case stays open for the time being.