‘I Thought I Was Watching a Movie’: Liquor Store Broken Into Two Times in One Night

A liquor store in Colorado was broken into twice in one night. According to the owner, it felt like watching a movie. (Photo: Erik Mclean/Pexels)

On Saturday, a liquor store in Aurora, Colorado, was broken into twice in the same night, according to CBS Colorado.

The first break-in took place around 2 a.m. at G&E Liquors. The business owner, Girum Alamayehu, was notified of the activity through his phone’s Ring camera alert.

The glass storefront was rammed into repeatedly with a Hummer, which police later confirmed was stolen just two hours prior to the break-in.

“I thought I was watching a movie,” Alamayehu said in the report. He first assumed the driver to be drunk before the vehicle accelerated, backed up and crashed into the store again and again.

The intruders ripped out the liquor store’s ATM with chains. Items taken from G&E Liquors included ATM money, a Bitcoin machine and a cashbox with a handgun inside.

After police arrived on the scene, Alamayehu was asked to retrieve copies of the security footage. When he returned after about half an hour, the police were nowhere to be seen.

Alamayehu and his wife remained in their car to guard the store. After about three hours, G&E Liquors was broken into for a second time. Alamayehu alerted the intruders of his presence by honking his car’s horn. In response, one of the men rushed at the car.

Before police could arrive again, the second round of intruders took off with merchandise.

“The law failed me,” Alamayehu said.

According to the store owner, when he was robbed seven year prior, officers stayed with him and told him what to do. This time was different. Alamayehu said he felt frustrated and let down by the local police.

“We understand there is concern that officers did not remain on scene or assist with boarding up the business,” said Arora Police in a statement, according to the report. “It is not normal protocol for officers to secure private businesses or homes after a burglary has occurred. During the two hour time period from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on October 8th, Aurora Police Department Officers were dispatched to and handled over 20 calls for service.”

Alamayehu must now wait weeks before he can reopen while his storefront is repaired. “We’re glad we survived and nobody [was] hurt,” he told Denver 7. “Aurora should wake up and serve small business the way they used to and protect us the way they used to.”

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