Texas Tonka Liquor asks help from St. Louis Park after repeated burglaries

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - A St. Louis Park liquor store owner is asking the city to make an exception for his business after it was hit by three brazen burglaries in 18 months.

Texas Tonka Liquor has been under new ownership for less than three years, but owning the liquor store has proven challenging.

The most recent break-in happened on Aug. 17. The owner, Sakya Dama, and his wife watched it all happen on their phone after an alarm triggered an alert on their security system while across the country visiting family.

"When I watch the video it basically changes the personality of me for a few hours, which I don’t like. I get upset, I get frustrated, I don’t respond the right way," Dama told FOX 9’s Karen Scullin.

In the latest break-in thieves seemed to target certain bottles of liquor, including high-end bottles of cognac and whiskey.

Dama believes they’ll sell much of what they stole on the secondary market.

"Those things – they can even ask $10 more and get what they want," Dama said.

Each time the burglars shattered the glass of their doors.

Something Dama thinks might help prevent the smash-and-grab type burglaries are metal shutters installed behind the glass doors designed for security. 

But that has to be approved, and so far installation has been denied by the City of St. Louis Park, telling FOX 9 that,  "the window shutters do not meet city ordinance." 
The city said there are alternatives to choose from, allowing Dama to, "submit plans to the city for evaluation."  

Meanwhile, he is hoping something can be done fast – with insurance having to pay out $135,000 in product and repairs his store is now labeled ‘high risk’ and he’s afraid he’ll lose insurance. 

"All I’m asking is help us protect ourselves before we rely on police," Dama said.