The past few months have been rough for a local business in Burnaby after a succession of attempted robberies and theft left the store owners with thousands of dollars in damages and limited ways to combat the burglars. The Hop & Vine liquor store on Burnwood drive is no stranger to having eccentric people come in and out of their doors. The Hop & Vine is connected to a pub creating a hotspot for college students, blue collar workers, and sports fans. However The Hop has attracted some new, unwanted attention as of recent.

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Last month During the early hours of the morning, a man was caught on camera kicking the back door of the store. His kicking broke the lock holding the door exposing the freezer door inside. The man quickly shuffled 6 or so boxes of wine and spirits to his car and drove off. The boxes of liquor were estimated to cost upwards of $3,000. Damages done to the door and the interior of the store cost the owners around $500 to repair. The alarm was set off and authorities were notified of the break in, but the burglar has yet to have been caught. Nara Kim, the co-owner of the Hop & Vine said she was quite upset, exclaiming she couldn’t believe the length the man went to, to steal the alcohol.

More recently, a man tried stealing bottles of wine through the locked gate at the front entrance of the store. The man reached through the bars with a trash grabber, lifting the bottles off the shelf, but inevitably dropped around 5 bottles on the floor before being escorted out of the building. Thankfully pub staff working at the time heard the clashing of bottles hitting the floor and investigated the sound.

The owners aren’t discouraged in the slightest, rebuilding and renovating the Hop & Vine with strong doors, locks, security cameras, and a better alarm system. Kim communicates with staff and the other owner on a regular basis to ensure everything is going to plan. She is taking every precaution to guarantee a safe work environment from here on out.