Owner of Detroit store broken into using excavator estimates $150K in structural damage
Demolition crew can't work Monday without missing excavator
By Shawn Ley - Reporter, Natasha Dado
Posted: 6:16 PM, August 25, 2019Updated: 6:16 PM, August 25, 2019
DETROIT - JR Party Store will be closed for three days following a break-in in which a bulldozer was used to gain entry into the business on Detroit's west side Sunday morning.
ORIGINAL STORY: Excavator used to break into Detroit party store and steal liquor
Police said the front wall of the store located on Plymouth and Grandmont was smashed open with the excavator.
The owner of the business told Local 4 the break-in caused upward of $150,000 in structural damage and that $75,000 worth of liquor was destroyed.
He could not believe his eyes when he watched the security camera feed on his phone as thieves drove an excavator into the family-run business.
Shelf after shelf of high-end scotch was stolen and destroyed when the crew drove the excavator through the wall.
The excavator belongs to Smalley Construction and was being used for house demolitions a few blocks away.
Rickey Smalley, who works for Smalley Construction, was at the store Sunday on his day off looking for the $200,000 piece of equipment.
"The Detroit Police Department has it, I assume," said Smalley.
Without the excavator the demolition crew can't work Monday and the liquor store will be closed while massive repairs are made.
An HD camera caught the incident on video. The owner says he wants the investigation to unfold first before he shares the footage.
Owner of Detroit store broken into using excavator estimates $150K in structural damage
