Smash-and-grab thief steals $10,000 in lottery tickets from Michigan shop

A local convenience store in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, lost over $10,000 worth of inventory in a break-in that occurred early Tuesday morning. The theft targeted scratch-off lottery tickets, a high-value commodity for the business, and the entire incident lasted less than a minute according to surveillance footage.

The suspect arrived in a dark-colored SUV and parked in the lot near 13 Mile Road and Harper. He exited the vehicle, wearing a black hoodie and gray sweatpants, and used a rock to shatter one of the glass doors. Once inside, he moved directly to the counter and seized a large stack of ticket boxes. The store manager, Hazim Jarbo, stated that the thief had the items in hand and out the door within 20 seconds.

The rush to escape caused the suspect to drop several items. Plastic casings and individual tickets were left on the ground outside the entrance. Frank Dahma, owner of the adjacent Shores Barber Shop, discovered the debris in the morning. He noted that three or four boxes of scratch tickets lay on the pavement. Dahma alerted Jarbo, who then contacted the police.

Jarbo reported that the store originally stocked 64 boxes of the stolen tickets. He counted approximately 20 boxes remaining on the shelves after the break-in. The financial loss is estimated to be well over $10,000. Sam Jarbo, who is the store attorney and a relative of the manager, said the business is now working with the Michigan Lottery department to identify the specific serial numbers of the missing tickets.

Lottery officials explained their protocol for stolen goods. Their security team tracks the exact serial numbers of the reported tickets and provides that data to investigators. If the stolen tickets are later redeemed, the system can flag them, potentially voiding the prize for the thief. This process helps narrow the search for the suspect and the vehicle used in the crime.

St. Clair Shores police and the state lottery office are jointly investigating the incident. The department is asking anyone with information to contact the local police station. The store remains open to customers, and the manager said the business is focused on recovering the inventory and identifying the person responsible for the loss.