A pair of thieves wrapped $ 20,000 in cash in a Cary convenience store, in what the police call an “opportunity crime”.
The flight occurred around 8:00 p.m. Sunday at Esmeralda Tienda on East Chatham Street.
The security video shows that two people enter the store, before having a brief conversation in the aisles. A thief then calls him the clerk, while the other sneaks behind the register, and grabs a locking box with $ 20,000 in cash inside. Police said the key had been left in the lock.
So far, no arrest has been made. Cary police said that no similar crime has been reported recently and believe that it was an isolated incident.
The owner of the store, Esmeralda Angel, says that thieves looked like professionals.
“When we looked at the cameras, it seemed that it was not their first time doing it,” said Angel.
Esmeralda Tienda has been open for about a year. A grocery store and a convenience store, it stores both fresh fruits and vegetables and a wide variety of Central and South America products. Angel says she put everything she has in the store.
“I don’t know why they would target a small business,” said Angel. “Because, you know, we are working day and night just to make sure it works well.”
According to Angel, $ 18,650 of stolen money belonged to Rayo Transfer, a wire transfer company for which Esmeralda Tienda acted as an intermediary. Angel says that the store will now have to reimburse the transfer of Rayo, a large invoice for a small business.
“It’s just a very big success for us,” said Angel.
Police from Cary asking anyone with information on the theft to come forward.