Business owner burglarized in midst of sales slump

A Del Valle business owner is cleaning up her store after burglars stole thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes and liquor. That's on top of a recent sales slump because of nearby construction.

It was a everything but a typical Monday morning for Naree Hill when she came to open her store.

“I saw bottles and cans of beer all over the parking lot,” said Hill.

Someone broke into her store and stole cigarettes, liquor, cash along with the register and even…

“They tore up all my equipment, wire, everything, camera,” said Hill.

This all totaling around $3,000. Next door Metro PCS picked up the suspicious men on their surveillance video. Hill says she has seen one of them quite often during the day.

This happens in the midst of a sales depression for hill, and several other nearby businesses. Construction along highway 71 has made it hard for customers from coming from west to get to the store.

“You have to go all the way down and turn around,” said Travis Drake, customer.

It hasn't stopped some loyal customers from coming. Hill wonders why someone would rob her, because until recently, she used to cut breaks for some.

“Some of them they say ‘I’m short of this amount, can you give me a break’? I always do for people,” said Hill.

Despite the construction and now the theft, hill remains hopeful her business will get back to its thriving self.

“I'm glad the place is here and I hope it stays,” said Drake.

“I'm going to stand strong, I've been running this business for so long,” said Hill.