HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – The owner of a Broward County cellphone store that was robbed last month believes the same thief broke into his store again.
Just like the first time, it was all caught on camera.
Jeremias Berganza owns the iShop Repair store that is located off Taft Street in Hollywood.
In surveillance video, the suspect is seen around 3 a.m. Monday, breaking his way through the front door, smashing out the glass and making a run toward the back, where he thinks all the expensive merchandise is, but he would end up leaving empty-handed.
“There’s nothing here to get stolen,” said Berganza. “Most of the phones are dummy phones.”
Berganza said he clears the store of all the high ticket merchandise when he closes up.
“Here’s how I know it’s the same guy,” Berganza said. “He broke in last time and he was able to only get to this area. He broke the case and stole a couple of phones which are for out of the country. They don’t work here so he wasn’t able to sell it. This time, he breaks in and goes directly to the back, so I guess when he wasn’t able to make money last time, he was like, ‘hmm, I didn’t check the back. Probably there’s where the money is at.’”
There was no money to be found, but the crook did leave a big mess behind.
Berganza said this is far from the first time one of his stores has been broken into.
Back in June, there was a smash-and-grab at his Miami Gardens location.
That suspect, who tried to disguise himself by wearing a box on his head during the crime, was later found and arrested.
Authorities are still working the crimes at Berganza’s Hollywood location.
Anyone with information is urged to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.