PALMETTO BAY, Fla. – Police are investigating after a pair of crooks left quite a mark on a Miami-Dade County photography store.
They struggled to get through the business’ hurricane resistant glass, but they did manage to make a hole large enough to reach in and open the door.
They then got away with over $30,000 worth of equipment.
Surveillance cameras captured everything back on Nov. 2 just before 1 a.m.
Pittman Photo store manager Lauren Elsea was frantically calling 911 while watching it go down.
“I see the gentleman breaking into my store, I see them throwing all the cameras and lenses in their bags. I immediately start freaking out,” she said. “They got a lot -- they got our entire Sony showcase. It was over $30,000.”
The crooks seemingly tried to limit their damage, searching for how to open the case before ultimately breaking the glass. They filled up two plastic trash bags with cameras valued at over $2,000 a piece.
“We’re a small business -- this is a huge hit,” said Elsea. “We take it very personally.”
It’s the second time bandits have targeted the store in the last five years.
“Not again, not again,” said Elsea. “I was just so upset and so sick to my stomach.”
The store has been owned by the same family since 1928, and they now want to send a message by catching the camera crooks.
“If you find a really good sale on something that’s brand new, it’s probably stolen,” said Elsea. “You have to be looking out for that kind of thing.”
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.