Crime & Safety
Cigarette Snatchers Caught on Video
More than 100 cartons of cigarettes stolen from Boulder Creek store.
Bay City News Service
Santa Cruz sheriff's deputies are investigating a premeditated theft of cigarettes from Tuesday in Boulder Creek, sheriff's officials said.
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On Tuesday, the owner of the Mountain Store, at 125 Pool Drive, purchased 110 cartons of cigarettes in San Jose from a wholesaler, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.
After making the purchase, authorities said three suspects in a black Hyundai Santa Fe followed the owner from San Jose to Boulder Creek, waited for the victim to begin unloading the cigarettes and took the cartons from the owner's car.
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After snatching the cartons, the suspects returned to the Hyundai and drove away toward Bear Creek Road.
The car, with license plate No. 6DCD574, is registered to an address in Oakland, according to sheriff's officials.
Sheriff's investigators received video footage of the theft and suspects, all described as African-American males between the age of 16 and 18.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office at 831-454-2353.
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