Derek Thoms said it was the last straw when thieves came to his home and tried to steal his truck.
For more than a generation, Derek Thoms and his family have owned a number of successful laundromats in California's Bay Area.
But after a string of 12 break-ins targeting his businesses over the last six months, Thoms has had enough.
In January, a truck smashed into the front of the store so thieves could steal the ATM.
“That used to be a crime that would probably happen around 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning. They did it at 7 a.m.,” Thoms said.
Even with all the video evidence, Thoms says nothing has been done.
“Within a week, they stole $5,000 of quarters and ruined an $11,000 change machine,” Thoms said.
The frustrated business owner says it was the last straw when thieves came to his home and tried to steal his truck. A doorbell camera captured Thoms almost tripping as he gave chase with his dogs in tow.
Fed up, Thoms asked his family, as well as his brother and his family, and his mom and dad if they all wanted to move to Alabama.
They all packed up and moved more than 2,000 miles away from the Bay Area to Muscle Shoals.
Even with lots more room with a big new house, Thoms’ wife, Skylar, admits their new location is a bit of a culture shock.
“Definitely very, very hard, but the right decision,” Skylar said.
They plan on opening up new laundromats in Alabama. The ones in California are up for sale but haven’t found any takers.
