Hank's Take: AC grocer pleads for help

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WTXF) - An Atlantic City grocer targeted. Burglars hitting his market not once but six times.

Now he's pleading for help even after police made an arrest.

"We need more policing in the streets and it's not happening," says Issa Namoor.

"Hey, it's Hank. It's tough to run a food shop in Atlantic City. So says Issa Namoor whose place here on Arctic Avenue keeps getting robbed. He says police are doing all they can but my take is if you can't stop repeated break-ins at the food market - how's he going to stay in business?"

Surveillance video shows AC cops combing through Issa's storeroom recently, looking for a burglar. Then, someone opens the fridge - bingo. It's insane and Issa says it never seems to end.

"We had probably twenty break-ins over the last six months," said Issa.

HF asked, "In the last six months - twenty break-ins?"

Issa answers, "Yes, between all our locations."

Issa's mainly referring to his Artic Avenue store, which he says has been hit once a month for the last six months repeatedly allegedly by the guy found in the fridge who police says is 52-year-old Philip Campos. He was charged but released only to allegedly burglarize another location. Issa says if his shop were on the Boardwalk, his problem would be solved.

"You know you don't see the presence of the police like you used to. You go on the Boardwalk, you go on the walk in Atlantic City, you see police presence. Over here? Literally non-existent," Issa said.

Hank states, "Alright, so a block and a half away - that's Atlantic city City Hall. Right here is the Atlantic City Courthouse. And, right there's Issa's food market. So why does he keep getting hit time and again?"

Money, for one thing. Atlantic City's public safety budget got slashed by 8 million bucks this year. That's fire and police. ACPD spokesman Sergeant Kevin Fair told me police are looking for Campos and doing their best with less.

"Sometimes you have to work with what you have. And our guys, our patrol guys, our detectives are doing a fantastic job. They're working as hard as could be to prevent incidents like this at the Cedar Market stores and all of our stores throughout the city," Fair explains.

New Jersey passed bail reform in 2014. Issa says that's why Campos continues to allegedly haunt his business despite being found by police in his freezer. Plus, property taxes are up nearly a hundred percent in Atlantic City since 2010. I love AC, but I'm amazed anyone runs a business and makes any money down there. How do you get by? I'm Hank and that's my take.