BETHESDA, Md. — A Bethesda business owner just sold his store after being targeted by thieves one too many times. Now several family-owned businesses are being targeted in the same area.
"This was on the floor, luckily the glasses didn't break,” Tobacco and More Mart employee, Khalid Syed said.
Khalid Syed embraces mayhem in order to make ends meet.
"I don't know,” Syed said. “I have to stay strong. It's hard to find another job."
It’s a risk Syed takes every night working at Tobacco and More Mart on Old Georgetown Road. The store has been hit at least three times. In the most recent attack police said five teenagers stole merchandise then two of them came back just minutes later and assaulted his coworker.
"They started beating him real bad that he was all purple here,” Syed said. “They started kicking his head right here."
It's triggering for Syed. He said during the March attack they pointed a gun at this head.
'I was feeling 'okay, I'm going to die’,” Syed said.
The original owner of Tobacco Hub, that's also along Old Georgetown Road tells me the crime has driven him to make a really difficult decision, he just sold his business after being open for three months.
"I've been there for fourteen years but it's never been this bad,” Geste Beer & Wine Owner, Aajay Aggarwal said.
Less than half a mile away from the two stores hit on Old Georgetown Road, Geste Beer & Wine on Edgemoor Lane continues to battle with teens walking in and grabbing bottles of wine and running out.
On Monday, when we spoke with the owner he said this stuff happens at least once a week.
Meanwhile, Syed is focused on finding peace in a year that's brought a lot of chaos.
"We would like the police to be around more in this area,” Syed said.
Those two teens related to this latest incident are facing theft and second-degree assault charges. The employee who was assaulted has been released from the hospital and is still recovering.