Car Crashes Into local Business in Smash-and-Grab; Police Searching for Suspects

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) Police are searching for multiple suspects after a robbery at Rainbow Sports in El Centro early Friday morning. According to the El Centro Police Department (ECPD), several individuals allegedly stole a truck from Brawley and another vehicle from El Centro before using one of them to break into the store.

The incident occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. on Friday, October 24. Police say the suspects used the stolen truck to crash into Rainbow Sports, located on South Imperial Avenue and West Hamilton Avenue near Wilson Junior High School, causing significant structural damage and creating an entry point into the business.

Store owner Abdin Aziz stated he received a call from his alarm company alerting him to a break-in. He said he immediately traveled from Calexico to El Centro, where he found multiple police units on scene.

“As soon as I received the call, I rushed over from Calexico to El Centro to find a bunch of police cars,” Aziz said Saturday evening.

“I was shocked when I seen the main door of the store was gone.”

“I feel Rainbow Sports got hurt really badly because we have been here forever and we have been serving the community in Imperial County,” he said. “This kind of action shows people have no morals.”

Aziz estimated approximately $50,000 in damage. He said the suspects stole more than $2,000 in merchandise before leaving the scene with both stolen vehicles.

ECPD later recovered the vehicles, locating the truck in El Centro and the second vehicle in Brawley.

Rainbow Sports, which has served the community since 1994 according to Aziz, remains open following the incident. Employees and supporters of the business created a GoFundMe campaign to assist the owner of the truck involved in the break-in. The truck owner allegedly relied on the vehicle for work and to transport his three children, according to the fundraising page.

The fundraiser states repairs are expected to cost at least $5,000 and notes that the truck had liability-only insurance. The page described the situation as “heartbreaking,” adding, “This is what makes the Imperial Valley special, when one of us falls, we lift them back up.”

Rainbow Sports also released a community statement reflecting on its long history of supporting local youth and expressing disappointment regarding the break-in. The statement said in part:

“All the years in business helping the youth with what little we could being a small business… for these young individuals to take down our store this way is such a disappointment.”

The message continued, “Do better Imperial Valley as humans, teach your kids to respect the ones who help you out, take care of those who take care of you, enough is enough with the disrespect.”

Despite the damage, the business emphasized that it will continue operating.

“We will be open as normal since our family and employees rely so much on our little business,” the statement said.

The store asked anyone with information about the suspects to contact them, stating that tips could be sent via direct message, text, or even left anonymously as a handwritten note.

Police have not announced any arrests and have not released suspect descriptions. The investigation remains ongoing.