Storefronts on McLean Ave. in Yonkers smashed in

The storefronts at Westchester Jewelry and Merk Chemists were both destroyed around 4 a.m. today.

News 12 Staff

Jun 2, 2020, 12:26 PM

Updated 1,586 days ago

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A group of men smashed their way into two stores on McLean Avenue in Yonkers overnight.
The storefronts at Westchester Jewelry, at 966 McLean Ave., and Merk Chemists, across the street at 973 McLean Ave., were both destroyed around 4 a.m. today.
The owners of the pharmacy, who live upstairs from their shop, say they saw the store being raided on the security camera on their phone. The surveillance video shows a group of about eight men using bolt cutters to break in.
The thieves got away with drugs, such as Percocet, morphine, and $1,500 in cash. 
"It was like a movie...it looked to me like it was happening like a movie. I'm literally on the phone…” says owner Christina Mangiaracina. “I’m watching them enter my store, and rob it and destroy it."
The group of men then apparently jumped into their cars, and one of those cars rammed through the front gate of Westchester Jewelry store across the street. There is no word yet on exactly what was taken.
After what occurred at the Yonkers stores, other small business owners on McLean avenue say they are now worried about their businesses being broken into.
Danny Ventarola, 85, owns Bicycle Sales and Repair Shop and wants to know why looters are looting.
“…I want to know why they’re doing this. It's not because this poor guy got murdered, cause he did get murdered by the policeman.” Justice is being served he got arrested, so why are you rioting, there is no need for this,” says Ventarola.
According to police, the suspects sped away in multiple cars headed toward the Bronx. They are believed to be men in their 20’s. 
Police say they believe the break-ins are related to similar incidents in the Bronx and Manhattan, and are a fallout from all the George Floyd protests that have been happening across the country.
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