Boston-area smoke shop break-ins under investigation

A series of break-ins at three Boston-area smoke shops overnight Tuesday caused thousands of dollars in damage and losses.

At City Smoke Shop in the North End, the manager says he was shocked to see how, in a matter of seconds, three individuals stole thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise and caused serious damage.

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Waldy Nova, partner at City Smoke Shop, told Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra the suspects were in and out in less than 30 seconds, and that they have a system.

Surveillance videos captured the suspects standing guard in front of the establishment until they saw no one passing by, before breaking in by throwing a brick through the glass door.

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According to police, the incident occurred at 2:36 a.m., and the owner says they made off with about $4,000 worth of stolen merchandise.

Minutes later in Cambridge, the same strategy was reported at Cambridge Smoke Shop. The video shows the three individuals throwing a brick, this time through the window, entering and also stealing thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise and about $400 in cash.

Hitesh Prajapati, the store manager, says that although it's the first time it's happened to him, he's afraid to continue with his business, which he started just a year ago.

But it didn't stop there. Kumraj Gurung, owner of D&K Smoke Shop in Somerville, says that at around 3:40 a.m., three people, apparently minors, removed the glass from the door, causing damage and stealing vape merchandise valued at around $3 million

He claims it's happened three times, two of them in January 2024.

“At that time they just broke the glass, they cannot make it inside," he said, recalling the January incidents.