Fort Lauderdale sportswear store owner learns of looting on Local 10 News

9 people arrested in connection with looting of store

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Video only seen on Local 10 News showed looters ransacking a Fort Lauderdale Simon's Sportswear as Hurricane Irma swept through the area.

That's how the owner, Ilan Shimon, found out about it.

"I was at home and I was amazed to see the looting of the store," Shimon said.

Looters were going through a broken window, stealing whatever merchandise they could find.

"Everything was removed," Shimon said. "We had a lot of clothes here. You see the mannequin over there? There's not even one piece of clothes left. They even took the safe."

Shimon's head of security, Serge Sidon, captured the aftermath on cellphone video.

"There's no more. It's done," Sidon said on the cellphone video. "Everything is completely gone, guys."

Nine people were arrested after the looting -- six adults seen on video and three teenagers.

The Fort Lauderdale store wasn't the only one. Eight out of the 29 that he owns were looted.

Surveillance video also caught a large group breaking into his store in Liberty City. The looters actually entered the store through a neighboring business and broke down the wall in the process.

Despite losing hundreds of thousands of dollars, management said it will be back stronger than ever.

"Our main focus right now is to stick together as a family, pull through on this and just start getting our stores back in order," Yair Rivero, vice president of operations, said.

About $250,000 worth of merchandise was stolen inside one store alone.

Management said it will now have two security guards at all stores at all times.

The owner hopes to have the Fort Lauderdale store open by Friday. 


About the Authors:

Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer. In August 2015, she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter. Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio, television and film from DePaul University.

Dawn Jorgenson, Graham Media Group Branded Content Managing Editor, began working with the group in April 2013. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media.