Thousands of scratcher tickets stolen in brazen Garden Grove burglary

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (KABC) -- Thieves busted open the front doors of a liquor store in Garden Grove and stole thousands of scratcher tickets in a brazen burglary caught on surveillance camera.

The video shows three suspects in a '90s model red Chevy Astro van pulling up to the doors of Hanshaw Liquor in Garden Grove around 4:40 a.m. Monday. They tie one a rope around its doors and attach the other end to the van. The driver hits the gas and the store's doors come flying off their hinges into the parking lot.

Two suspects go inside, and grab two crates full of California Lottery scratchers, as well as an $80 bottle of whiskey, before running out in under 90 seconds.

The store owner said the suspect behind the counter left his fingerprints.

At least two winning scratchers have already been claimed at convenience stores in Compton and Lynwood, according to Garden Grove police.

But California lottery officials say claiming more may not be that easy. Their system has a way to identify and flag stolen scratchers, preventing them from being claimed.