Suspect smashes showcase at Detroit pawn shop in attempted robbery

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Security footage shows a suspect armed with a hammer smashing a display case with pricey goods inside at iPawn Detroit, a pawn shop on the city's west side. 

"Oh! It’s just another day at the pawn shop," said Michael Yousif, who runs the shop. "You get this kind of stuff with the business we’re in… It is what it is. It comes with the territory."

The showcase that was targeted is part of a high-end security program put in place.

"That was Rolexes I had in there, Cartier glasses. That was very, very expensive stuff. The showcase did what it’s supposed to do," Yousif said. "It’s one-inch solid bullet-proof glass. It’s not going to break very easy. It took them quite, about 20 different swings to get through it finally, and they still couldn’t get through it all the way – with only getting a few inches out to pull through."

An outside camera shows two suspects approaching the store, apparently with a game plan – but one that didn’t quite work out. 

Yousif said they did not get away with one thing. However, he calls the attempted theft a reminder of the tough times many people are living in nowadays.

"Smash and grabs – every other day, you’re seeing them on the news and that’s the sad part about what’s coming with the country," Yousif said. "As the economy declines, crime is going to spike. That’s what’s going to happen."

Anyone who recognizes the suspects are asked to contact Detroit police.