San Francisco corner market owner turns to neighbors after repeated break-ins

SAN FRANCISCO - A San Francisco market is raising money after two break-ins in one weekend.

This happened at Dolores Deluxe on 22nd and Dolores Streets.

Owner Ramzi Budayr said his market has been vandalized and burglarized several times over the past eight months. This past weekend they had two break-ins in a row. Friday morning, someone broke the side window and stole alcohol. Saturday, Budayr said the same person returned.

Budayr said, "I perched in front of my window until 3:30 a.m. because I was paranoid. I passed out, then I slept through my alarm and woke up at 8 and missed 15 calls and I looked outside and I saw this window was smashed."

Budayr posted pictures of the break-in on social media, and said surveillance cameras captured video of the suspect.

"He just grabbed a brick from the construction site on 23rd, chucked it into the window, and took five bananas," said Budayr.

Dolores Deluxe has been a community corner store since 1911. Budayr said replacing the windows is pricey because everything is custom.

Budayr said he’s looking at around $24,000 in repairs, lost revenue, insurance deductible, and to make security enhancements.

"Despite my desire to be a trooper and be resilient I felt it was necessary to call the broken arrow and get some help from people outside the neighborhood," said Budayr.

He launched a GoFundMe and is planning a popup event outside the store Thursday to try and raise some money. Just about everyone who came into the store offered support. One customer who is also an artist painted flowers on one of the boarded up windows.