POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating after a group of thieves were caught on camera stealing supplies and equipment from the vans of a family-owned plumbing business in Pompano Beach late Saturday night.
Local 10 News obtained surveillance video of the thieves using a blow torch to tear through locks securing multiple service vans and cutting through it.
Another thief was seen stepping in to pry the doors open before they both made their way inside taking off with several pieces of pricey equipment.
Mike Krobatsch, Owner of John the Plumber, told Local 10 News that multiple trucks were hit during the robbery.
“Ten trucks (were) broken into and lots of equipment missing,” he said.
According to Krobatsch, the thieves smashed windows of nearly all his service vehicles and were caught on camera rummaging through them and searching for whatever they could find.
“I don’t know if they brought (the torches) themselves, or, if they took our torches and burnt the locks off,” he said.
What the video doesn’t show is the thieves parking about a block away from the business so their vehicle wouldn’t be seen before cutting through three chain linked fences before making their way onto the property.
“They got eight of our drain cleaning machines, three or four or our pro-press machines valued at around $2,000 a piece (and) some of the guy’s personal equipment,” Krobatsch said.
For close to three hours. the men, both wearing black hoodies, one with his face covered and the other with no covering at all, took their time stealing from this family business.
According to Krobatsch, nearly $30,000 in tools and equipment were stolen.
As BSO deputies continue to search for the thieves responsible, Krobatsch and his staff are left picking up the pieces to try and keep their businesses afloat.
“We have to replace everything that was stolen, and it hurts us. As a family owned and operated company, we are just trying to do the best for our customers,” he said.
Krobatsch told Local 10 News that the $30,000 in equipment and tools taken doesn’t include the damaged caused to the vehicles.
Detectives are asking anyone that has information on the thieves to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.