Another bodega robbery has bodega owners calling for harsher punishment for thieves

The most recent robbery took place at A&G Bodega in Longwood. Police say thieves took merchandise and caused damages worth approximately $30,000.

Heather Fordham and Adolfo Carrion

Feb 9, 2024, 10:50 PM

Updated 305 days ago

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Bodega owners are calling for the hammer of justice to be brought down on thieves after a second bodega was robbed in the Bronx.
The most recent robbery took place at A&G Bodega in Longwood. Police say thieves took merchandise and caused damages worth approximately $30,000, ripping up the metal grate, breaking through the glass and entering the store.
Two thieves were caught on surveillance video hopping the counter, ransacking the register and taking lottery tickets and merchandise. A third suspect was outside of the store keeping lookout.
The incident took place at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday on Prospect Avenue. This comes after around $100,000 was taken from a different bodega earlier this week. 
The bodega owner, Alecia Fernandez, says she thought she had enough security to protect her business.
“I had a lock on, I chained everything, but we don’t know because look at the way they came through the store,” said Fernandez.
Representatives from the United Bodegas of America held a press conference on Friday to address the recent robberies, calling for harsher punishment for robbers and offering a $15,000 reward to anyone with information behind these robberies.
“These men and woman don’t know whether they’re going to get hit tomorrow or not, that’s the story,” said Fernando Matteo of the United Bodegas of America. “If you don’t sleep in your bodega and carry a gun to defend your property you don’t know whether you’re going to get hit tomorrow.”