San Francisco business owner fed up as store ransacked for a 4th time

SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco business is considering calling it quits after it was ransacked for a fourth time.

Cigarettes Cheaper, a family-owned small business, has been operating in the Richmond District since 2003.

The stores has been broken into and ransacked on four different occasions, according to Bashir, the store’s owner.

“It’s like a broken record. It’s been going on since 2020,” Bashir said. “What are we supposed to do? All we’re trying to do is feed our family, man.”

Officers observed possible suspects entering cars and fleeing the scene, according to police. One of the cars hit a marked police vehicle while trying to drive away.

Officers found one of the cars unoccupied on the 300 block of 17th Ave. They also found a firearm and possible stolen merchandise.

However, no arrests were made.

“How many times do we have to go through this? I get it (if it’s) once or twice, but it just continues to happen,” Bashir said. “I think we’re at the verge to just completely close our shop because the profit is not that great. All we’re trying to do is maintain. Everything’s expensive. The rent is up, employee (costs) are high, and on top, (we have) to deal with this.”

The store is walled with interior fencing because of previous break-ins, but Bashier said the thieves used a car to ram through it by driving “back and forth four times.”

“If we cover (the entire store), what are they going (to do), come from the ceiling next?” Bashir said.

Costs are estimated to be in the tens of thousands from stolen items, such as boxes of cigarettes, and the damage to the storefront.

“There’s no insurance. State Farm has completely kicked us out because they call the state of California a hot spot,” Bashir said. “I don’t blame them because they’re here for business, not to just continue to give you money. So, there’s chaos going on here (and) they cancelled everybody’s policy. They won’t give insurance because they know the outcome.”