HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A man who was coming home early from work one day in November arrived to find his entire house ransacked.
“As soon as I opened the door, the carpet was messed up and everything was in shambles,” said Nick, who opted not to show his face on camera or provide a last name.
The crooks were in and out in less than 30 minutes, stealing 13 guns, Nick said.
The incident took place Nov. 7.
“Every door was open,” Nick said. “The back door was pried open. Then I went to check my safe and sure enough, it was gone.”
The 13 guns had been tucked in the safe.
Nick had owned them ever since he was a teenager.
And the crooks managed to take the entire 400-pound safe, which damaged Nick’s floors in the process.
There were a variety of guns in his collection, from a Colt AR 15 semi-automatic rifle to a Mossberg shotgun and a semi-automatic handgun, all valued at nearly $8,000. Some had sentimental value, as they were given to Nick by his late father.
“There’s a few of those I would really like to have back -- just the ones he gave me,” he said. “The rest can be replaced.”
A neighbor’s Ring camera might have captured the getaway car, a dark-colored SUV. But nothing has been confirmed.
Nick said he had contractors in his home this past year, and he believes that some of them could have played a role in the burglary.
“I’ve done some fixing up -- a little bit here and there,” he said. “(I) had some contractors here. Contractors have helpers, helpers have friends, so it’s possible.”
One man was arrested earlier this month in Miami, Nick said, adding that one of his guns was in that man’s possession.
The other 12 remain unaccounted for. Police don’t have much information about the crime, so anyone who can help is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.