Richmond business struck by car during suspected robbery incident

After an attempted robbery in Richmond early Monday morning, a business owner is dealing with the aftermath. The Richmond Police Department reported that three suspects tried to break into a store off of North 8th Street just before 1 a.m. They used a stolen Honda Accord to slam through the front of the business in their attempt to gain entry.

The store that was damaged in the incident was Tom Kirkland Opticians. Owner Thomas Kirkland has been working to clean up since the incident occurred. He noted that he hasn’t gotten much sleep or eaten much because he has been focused on securing the store.

The suspects tried repeatedly to crash into the store front to gain access but were unsuccessful. Unable to break in, they fled the scene before the police arrived. Kirkland has been optimistic despite the incident and is determined to reopen his store. He has been selling eyeglasses at his store since the 1980’s and is grateful for the support he has received from both the city and the community.

Kirkland is currently working to reopen his store in the next couple of weeks. He is encouraging anyone who stops by to leave a positive message on a message wall in his store for the City of Richmond. Anyone with information on the incident or the suspects is asked to contact the Richmond Police Department.