Seattle cafe owner says police shortages getting worse: ‘People don’t feel safe’

More than 100 Seattle police officers were fired Monday for non-compliance with Washington state’s coronavirus vaccine mandate. With police resigning during the Defund movement that began in 2020, business owners are sounding the alarm about the public safety situation and the lack of officials.

Maher Youssef, owner of Pluto Organic Cafe, told Fox & Friends First on Wednesday that break-ins are the order of the day.

CALIFORNIA MOTHER WALKOUT ABOUT SCHOOL VACCINATION MANDATE: THE GOVERNOR IS “HANDING OVER”

“I can’t sleep well,” said Youssef. “Every night I wake up and it’s like, OK, I’ll check my store. Two, three in the morning, four, five o’clock because I don’t know what’s going to happen. “

“People, they don’t care. They just break into your store to take away even small items. If you have nothing, they just take it all. Because there are no police on the street. “

Youssef added that these acts of vandalism come at a price, including property damage.

“[The thief] packed an energy drink and water and he broke glass and wood, which cost me like a thousand dollars, “said Youssef, adding that tourism is in his shop, which is near the historic Space Needle, is also declining.

“They tell me they don’t want to come to Seattle anymore because they don’t feel safe,” said Youssef.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Youssef noted that an officer’s vaccination status does not concern him when it comes to calling 911. He said response times are getting worse and explained a recent incident where it took six hours for police to call him back after a homeless man broke a window and damaged other items.

“You know what, help is help, ”said Youssef. “No matter if vaccinated or not, I don’t care. … I need someone who stands behind me. “