Beloved Tahoe Park Donut Shop Burglarized Thanksgiving Morning
SOUTH SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A beloved Tahoe Park donut shop is cleaning up the mess after burglars smashed through the back door and cleared the change drawer early Thanksgiving morning.
Beng Ly-Kok, owner of Village Express Donuts, said when he got to work Thursday morning, he noticed the lights wouldn't turn on. That's when he saw the back door in pieces on the floor. Ly tells CBS13 burglars flipped the breakers and broke security cameras, possibly destroying all video evidence. CSI was on the scene this morning, dusting for potential fingerprints.
Instead of being angry, Ly spent his morning thanking his customers and his community. We'll tell you about the big way Tahoe Park stepped up to help tonight on @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/xRBzONrOPh
— Molly Riehl (@MollyRiehl) November 25, 2021
The incident comes three weeks after Village Express Donuts had its front windows smashed in, costing the donut shop more than $2,000.
"He's got insurance," says Isaac Gonzalez, President of the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association, "but you know, insurance doesn't cover your time, your deductible, your spirit."
Following that incident, neighbors voluntarily bought supplies and boarded up windows for Ly. One person anonymously sent $600 in the mail to help pay for new windows.
Tahoe Park stepped up again this morning to rally around Ly and his donut shop. Some regular customers returned with a donut box filled with bags of coins, cash, and apples. On the box, they wrote, "Thank you! We hope you have a blessed and better day! God Bless You!"
Customers say their support is a reflection of Ly's kindness to the community through the years. Gonzalez tells CBS13, "When someone comes in and maybe they forgot to put cash in their pocket, he'll just give them a donut."
Ly says he hasn't raised his prices in more than 20 years because what the community gives back to him means much more than five to ten cents here and there. He says through tough times, his message to the community is, "When you do something kind to anybody, the kindness never dies."
Even though his Thanksgiving started with a burglary, Ly tells CBS13 he is still thankful for his community.
Sacramento Police say they are still investigating the incident.