TPD Searching For Suspect Who Drove Into Thrift Store

Tulsa police are trying to find the person who drove a car into the Family and Children’s Services thrift store on Friday.

The wreck happened around 1:30 a.m. Friday near 11th and Utica.

TPD Chief Communications Officer Dee Harris said the vehicle slammed through the front, demolished their men’s and toy departments and narrowly missed someone sleeping outside.

“This is devastating,” Harris said. “We are going to have to fix all of glass and the damage that happened.”

The only thing left behind from the vehicle was a Buick emblem sitting on top of the rubble. It’s difficult to tell the exact model of the car based on surveillance video. However, the car appears to be a four-door Buick vehicle.

The surveillance video shows the driver appearing confused when inside the store.

“He curbs and makes a left in the toy department, backs up, gets out of his car, moves the rack away, and then you can hear him say, ‘I got to get out of here,’” Harris said.

With no witnesses, Tulsa police couldn’t identify the person or vehicle.

Workers spent hours cleaning up glass, debris, and re-racking clothes. They placed wooden boards in the front and on the side of the building until walls can be replaced.

Harris said there couldn’t be worse time for this to happen, considering how close they are to the holidays.

“Business has been booming and there’s obviously a need in Tulsa for quality things that aren’t priced high,” Harris said.

The thrift store has opened back up and is still taking donations Tuesday through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.