Destructive burglary of convenience store caught on camera in Berkeley Co.

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - A security camera caught video of two men in a pickup truck ramming through the entrance to a convenience store and robbing it, leaving the scene a mess.

Hamzeh Qasem says he has owned the store for about eight months and it’s not his first small business in the area.

“I like to always be on the safe side, cameras always help,” Qasem says.

He got a call from his security company at about 2 a.m. on Thursday after the truck crashed through his business’s front entrance. The incident report says the truck was stolen.

“I spoke to the officers of Berkeley County, I appreciate all of them, they are doing a great job of course, but we don’t find out who is the person yet,” Qasem says.

The incident report says the men made off with about $100 worth of cigarettes. Qasem estimates they also broke more than 100 bottles of wine. He says he expects to spend about $5,000 on repairs, but Qasem is more worried about his community than his things.

“I’ll fix my building. But a lot of people out there, they will not be able to fix their problems or their houses or their cars, or like, a lot of people could not afford it,” Qasem says.

The Myers Market is already open again, and Qasem has cemented in protective posts in front of the door. He says he’s mostly worried about what crimes the men might have already committed and what they might do next.

“This is a community problem it’s not a personal problem. We’ve got to find out who are these people. That’s what I’m asking all the communities, all the public help, let’s work together and find out who did this,” Qasem says.

You can report any tips about this case to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office at 843-719-4465.

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