DETROIT – Smash-and-grab robbers slammed into a gas station while it was open early Thursday morning on Detroit's west side.
Police said it's unusual for thieves to be so bold as to drive through the gas station while it's open.
"I have seen it on the news," station owner Kamel Abdel said. "I haven't experienced it firsthand."
Abdel is proud of what he's accomplished at his BP store on Livernois Avenue south of The Lodge Freeway.
"I feel bad, down, violated," he said.
Police said the thieves drove a stolen truck through the front of his store, aiming for the ATM. The gas station was open with an employee inside.
"My first thought was, 'Is my employee OK?'" Abdel said. "I hope that truck did not slam into the building and I hope he didn't get injured."
The employee wasn't injured, but the building was severely damaged. It will cost thousands of dollars to fix the mess.
Police said the thieves hit the ATM over and over until it broke open. They grabbed the internal cash box and drove off, according to authorities.
The stolen truck was a Ford F-350 Super Duty. It was found about a block away on the service drive near The Lodge Freeway.
Abdel said even after this incident, he's not going anywhere.
"I have always believed in the comeback," he said. "I have seen the city going down, coming up. I'm going to be a part of the process of success in the city."
Abdel is working to pull the security video from his cameras. He hopes someone will recognize the thieves. If he's able to send it, the video will be posted on ClickOnDetroit.