Reward offered in robbery
By Staff Reports
Published in News on April 20, 2009 1:46 PM
A $5,000 reward is being offered by the owners of a store that was robbed and vandalized early today.
Cassandra Elayah of Elayah Food Mart at 1261 New Hope Road, said someone with a big foot kicked in a door at the business she and her husband, Ali, own around 5 a.m. today.
The thief rifled the cash register and took some change, she said. The thief made off with $9,000 worth of cigarettes while breaking a window and knocking items off the store counters.
"He left a huge shoe print, may a size 13, on the door," Mrs. Elayah said.
She said the store's camera caught the shape of a "large man," but that the image was too dark to able to identify the person.
She said the total loss is probably close to $20,000 and that it would be difficult for her and her husband to cover that amount.
Mrs. Elayah said they were just recovering from an armed robbery several months ago. After the first robbery, local residents helped out and loaned the family money which has since been repaid, she said.
Mrs. Elayah said she believes the robbery could be linked to a Sunday evening incident at the store. A large white man had placed some power drink in his pants. She said the man grew angry after her husband confronted him. The man was angry and shouting as he left the store, she said.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.