Surviving an Attempted Robbery: Tom Kirkland Opticians’ Resilience and Community Support

Tom Kirkland Opticians, a store located off of North 8th Street in Richmond, was the target of an attempted robbery early Monday morning. Around 1 a.m., three suspects tried to break into the business using a stolen Honda Accord to smash through the front door. Owner Thomas Kirkland has been working tirelessly to clean up the mess left behind by the suspects.

Kirkland has not had much sleep or food since the incident occurred as he has been focused on securing his business. The suspects crashed into the storefront multiple times in an attempt to enter the store but fled before the police arrived. Despite this setback, Kirkland remains positive and determined to reopen his store.

The eyeglass business has been operating on North 8th Street since the 1980s, and Kirkland has received support from both the city and the community during this time. People have stopped by to take pictures and check on Kirkland’s well-being, and he is grateful for their support.

Kirkland hopes to reopen his store in the next few weeks and encourages anyone who visits to leave a positive message on a message wall he plans to create. He wants individuals to write positive messages for the City of Richmond as a show of support for those affected by this incident.

If anyone has information about the incident or suspects whereabouts, they are encouraged to contact the Richmond Police Department at 804-646-6820.