NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – North Miami Police are searching for three robbers they said crashed a truck into a North Miami clothing store Wednesday morning before stealing the merchandise.
Three masked men were caught on the store's surveillance cameras ramming the back of a black, older model Ford F-150 truck into the storefront of the Purple Carpet clothing store located on 717 Northwest 119th St., according to authorities.
The robbers took several expensive clothing items including jeans valued upward of $500 each. "It's not the jeans [that worry me] it's the $10,000 worth of damages," said Gary Malik, who owns the store.
A few hours after the burglary a truck similar to the one involved in the crime crashed on University Drive just north of Pines Boulevard. North Miami police said they think it may be the same truck used to smash the storefront.
Three southbound lanes at University Drive were shut down for more than an hour due to the crash and downed power lines.
The store owner said the mannequin seen in the bed of the crashed truck belongs to his store.
"They need to either find a job or find something productive to do," Malik said. "You know, we (are) hard working people. I come to work and we grind hard every day. I have 12 employees to take care of and a family."
Other merchandise was found in the truck, and police believe the men are also responsible for an early morning burglary at Three-80 Fashion at 19410 NW 27th Ave. in Miami Gardens.
Store owner Lawrence Mallard said hoverboards and expensive jeans were stolen from his business.
"I figured it was coming. I was watching the camera all night and I woke up looked at my iPod that has the cameras on it, and I was like hey, these guys in the store," Mallard said.
No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information about the burglaries is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.