UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – Police are investigating two overnight break-ins that may be linked, and it was all caught on camera.
Police asked for the public’s help in tracking down the suspects.
The surveillance video provided by the owner of Star Buds marijuana dispensary in Olive showed at least four suspects in hooded sweatshirts smashing their way through the front door to get inside.
Chris Chesley, the manager at Star Buds dispensary, was able to call the police when he saw what was happening on the video, and they were there within minutes.
“Last night, just after 2 a.m., I got an alert on my phone saying that our alarm was triggered,” Chesley said. “I got on the phone with University City police to let them know that there is a future break-in going on. They got here extremely quickly. They were able to see the individuals exiting the parking lot and gave chase.”
Investigators said that once the thieves forced entry and got inside, they became frustrated, knowing they were going to walk away empty-handed.
“They were not able to make it past our lobby. No products were taken,” Chesley said.
A few hours earlier, police said the same suspects appeared to strike again at the Mr. Nice Guy shop, also on Olive, just a few miles away. They stole some items, but it’s unclear how much.
Police discovered tags from Mr. Nice Guy in front of Star Buds, leading them to believe the crimes are connected. Police claimed the suspects sped off in a stolen vehicle, possibly a Kia Forte or four-door sedan, with no license plates.
Authorities encouraged anyone with information to contact the University City Police Department.
