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WEST VALLEY CITY -- Police in West Valley City are asking for help in solving a string of smash-and-grab burglaries.
The burglars are targeting smoke shops, and one break-in was caught on tape. The video is from the Local Tienda Smoke Shop at 6200 South and 5600 West.
On Oct. 19, at 2:20 a.m., a man and a woman broke in to the business. The woman used a crowbar to smash to front door. She then ran back to the store and grabbed Newport brand cigarettes.
A man wearing a hooded sweatshirt followed and stole Swisher Sweets cigars.
The two stuffed a backpack and another bag with the items and ran out of the store.
A detective with the West Valley Police Department talked to KSL News about the burglaries, but because of the nature of his job we concealed his identity.
"I don't think they took the amounts that they would be selling them on the street. I would assume it'd be for personal use, and that's their brand of cigarettes and cigars," he said.
Hours after the burglary at Local Tienda, another smoke shop was hit. In the past month, three smoke shops have been targeted.
Police don't know if the couple seen in the video is behind the other break-ins, but they want anyone who recognizes them call the West Valley Police Department at 801-840-4000.
Police say there was a possible attempted break-in at a fourth smoke shop that could also be related.
E-mail: syi@ksl.com
