AKRON, Ohio — As Akron Police search for two young men accused of robbing a smoke shop on North Portage Path, workers at a nearby pizza shop told News 5 they’re shocked it happened.
“Down here, we don’t usually have any problems like that,” said Robert Yoder, a delivery driver and pizza maker for Gionino’s Pizzeria.
Akron Police Lt. Michael Murphy said two masked young men wearing all black robbed Sunset Smoke Shop and Hookah Lounge just before midnight last Wednesday.
At this time, Murphy said they’re still trying to see if there’s a pattern and what the motive could be.
“Two masked men came inside of the store. At least one of them brandished a handgun. They went behind the counter, went into the cash register, pulled money out. The other suspect grabbed the bag that was filled with various items from inside the store, and they fled on foot,” said Murphy.
Around the time of the robbery, Yoder said Gionino’s Pizzeria was closed, so he had no idea it happened at the smoke shop next door.
Still, he said he doesn’t feel unsafe.
“I’ve been here since 2019. We haven’t had (any) problems like that at all,” said Yoder.
Even Murphy said it’s rare to see something like this.
“We don’t have incidents like this in this particular area. It’s [a] relatively quiet business district. A lot of people coming and going. But to have an aggravated robbery happen in this community is very concerning,” said Murphy.
That’s why Murphy encourages anyone with information to come forward, so Yoder can keep delivering and making pizzas in peace while Nick Zanko runs The Buckeye Smoke and Vapor Shop along with Roxbury Kava.
“There’s like a lot of other businesses out here that could’ve just been as easily harmed or affected,” said Zanko.
Even though Zanko also runs a smoke shop, he said he’s not concerned.
“But to put her at risk is very upsetting,” said Zanko.
We tried speaking with Sunset Smoke Shop, but they didn’t want to talk.
