It’s a wake up call the Sandhu family did not want. On Wednesday morning, just before 6 a.m., an alarm alerted them to a problem at their electronics store.
Once they arrived at Sam Sandhu Computers near 93 Street and 34 Avenue, they found the entire front end of the store exposed to the outside; the front windows and door inside the store, shards of glass littered everywhere and merchandise stolen.
“Everything is broken,” Sara Sandhu explained hours later, standing outside her closed store, waiting for insurance staff to arrive.
“We have to fix the whole front with the security bars and everything again.”
The theft was caught on surveillance video.
WATCH BELOW: Security video showed a vehicle smashing into Sam Sandhu Computers in southeast Edmonton, where thieves then robbed the store.
It shows a white van backed into the store with a force strong enough to punch out the windows and door.
Three people emerge, wearing hoodies and their faces covered. They move quickly, targeting specific merchandise, it appears.
“We lost lots of cell phones, spy cameras and some more accessories,” said Sam Sandhu, Sara’s brother.
There is insurance, but the Sandhu’s point out their insurance costs have been climbing.
There were two smash-and-dashes before: one in 2016 before the start of school and another in 2017 before Boxing Day.
All three times the store has been hit, stock has been at its peak due to the season. The family is worried what this third incident will mean for expenses.
“I don’t know how we can survive if the same thing happens again and again,” explained Sam Sandhu.
“We’ve been here 11 years.”
There has been ongoing talk about having concrete security posts installed outside.
Permission is required from the landlord, something the Sandhu’s hope will happen now.
The owners are frustrated that no one has been caught from the first two thefts, and wonder if the police investigation into third incident will also fall flat.
It’s expected the store will be closed for weeks — possibly months — until repairs are complete.
The owners are still calculating the costs of the goods stolen.