CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Vape shops in the Coastal Bend have become a target for criminals to get a cheap buck.
3News caught up with local vape shop owners who decided to remain anonymous.
Travis Pace, Public Information Officer for the Corpus Christi Police Department said that thieves have had their eye on this particular business.
"We have had noticeable burglaries at vape shops recently," Pace said.
Mad Monkey is one of the many establishments that have been impacted by the increase in burglaries. The business currently has five locations in total.
3News received video footage showing Mad Monkey's Everhart location being burglarized by four people, who before breaking in, covered their faces. They took two full bags of product.
"Disposable vape devices, nicotine salt, Delta 8, CBD and some vape devices that they got from the back," said a Mad Monkey employee.
Fire Vapes off of Staples Street has also been a target of the recent burglaries. The establishment has been broken into twice, with the last time being in January. The thieves took around $800 in products.
"Each register probably would be about $500, we had a laptop stolen that was probably $250," said a Fire Vapes employee.
The employee added that it became harder for people to buy popular vaping products online, which they feel might be contributing to the break ins.
"To buy stuff online, you have to submit your business license to your distributor, so basically, if you don't have a proper vape business, you can't buy stuff online anymore," the employee of Mad Monkey said.
According to the employee, the thieves picked up on the demand shift from vape shops and quickly got to work.
"Quick turn around for profit. If it's something easy to take in their opinion to be able to make quick money off of it, they're going to do it," Pace said.
The people involved in the break ins have not been caught, but the employees and authorities are encouraging residents to come forward with any information.
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