DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit clothing store is picking up the pieces after thieves drove a stolen vehicle through its front entrance in a brazen early morning break-in.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report:
Officials say six men used a stolen Jeep Cherokee to smash through the front door of City Man on Livernois, known as the Avenue of Fashion, around 3:40 a.m. Wednesday on Detroit's west side.
Surveillance video shows four men storming into the shop behind the SUV, while two more spilled out from inside the vehicle. All six grabbed numerous articles of clothing before running out and escaping in a getaway vehicle, police said.
Todd McKinney, a manager at City Man, said the break-in cost upwards of $20,000 between building damage and stolen merchandise.
"This is a pretty heavy shutter and that's the top of it so for them to push through and flip this shutter the way they did, there was a lot of force behind it," McKinney said.
The thieves targeted pricey merchandise, including jeans that retail for around $300 and tops priced between $200 and $300.
WATCH: Surveillance video shows the smash-and-grab in action
"That's a lot of high-end merchandise," McKinney said. "Stuff you can probably do some reselling for and get some money for. Because there's a resell factor involved in it as well."
This marks the latest in a string of business break-ins across the metro area. Earlier this month, Hype House in Royal Oak was hit for the fifth time, with thieves taking thousands in designer goods. In September, J-Bee's on Detroit's east side was targeted for the second time in six months.
McKinney, who has worked in retail for years, said theft tends to spike leading up to the holidays. This was not the first time City Man was targeted — about a month ago, someone tried to break into the store from the rear, though that burglary was not nearly as severe.
"Between the alarm, the shutters, everything, we do quite a bit to try to secure the area," McKinney said. "The best we can do, though, to the point where it takes a car to take it down."
The Detroit Police Department is investigating whether this smash-and-grab is connected to similar break-ins throughout the city and metro area.
Despite the setback, City Man has reopened for business.
"At the end of the day, you can't let them think that's going to deter you from the way you do business," McKinney said. "It's way more people that support us than not."
Anyone with information about the people responsible for this break-in is asked to call Detroit Police Department's 12th Precinct at 313-596-1240 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
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