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Petersburg shop owner says thief has been in his business before

Posted at 11:31 PM, Jan 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-29 06:52:49-05

PETERSBURG, Va. -- A Petersburg mechanic is getting fed up with the constant theft of car parts and cash from his business.

Ronnie Walker said a January 16 break-in was committed by someone who must have been inside his business before.

"He's just tearing things up,” Walker said. "He broke this one first [pointing to a window]."

The thief was in and out in 60 seconds.

He pulled up the bay door and went straight to Walker's cash box at his auto shop at the corner of Wagner and Crater Roads.

Security video showed the crook knew where to find the extra keys and tried opening at least two safes.

"He knew exactly where the cash drawer was, ripped it out for maybe $6 or $7," said Walker.

And that's not the only wrench thrown into running the business lately.

Walker, who rents the building, also has to fend off thieves who come in the cover of darkness and take parts off of cars on the lot waiting to be fixed.

"The people out there that want to steal, I'd rather you come ask me because I would give,” Walker said. “I’d give you something to save you from hurting someone else, if you can't get what you want from me."

Break-ins at the building, and break-ins with the cars: the crook on this video, even knows where the cameras' dead zones are located.

Walker said he doesn't want to point fingers but was confident he was targeted by someone who had been inside his business before.

"It's costing me $600 to $700 to repair, and it's to the point now where police are doing all they can do,” Walker said. “I mean, I know they just can't keep circling around my place."

If you recognize the guy on the surveillance video, call Petersburg Police.

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