POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Police and business owners are concerned after a rash of expensive equipment is being stolen from service vans.
Dovie Wachtel said crooks caught on camera were able to get into his vans twice at his plumbing business in Northeast Miami-Dade.
It happened in April at Dovis Plumbing, located at 20217 NE 15th Court.
Local 10 News obtained surveillance video of the thief smashing a window of the business and then cutting through locks to get inside the van to get to the equipment.
Wachtel told Local 10 News that the thief was able to get away with more than $25,000 worth of plumbing equipment, and it only took about 16 seconds.
“It hurts the employees. The employees’ tools were stolen and we weren’t able to service the customers,” said Wachtel. “We’re closed on Saturdays and came back the next day and continued to take stuff out.”
It isn’t the first time Local 10 News has covered the theft of local plumbing businesses.
In March, Local 10 News covered a group of thieves who were caught on camera stealing supplies and equipment from the vans of a family-owned plumbing business in Pompano Beach.
On Wednesday in Deerfield Beach, residents say they saw a suspicious incident where people were seen going into a pest control van and an AC repair truck while continuously going around the neighborhood.
Wachtel said police told him there wasn’t much they could do because the thief was wearing a mask. He hopes that the community and businesses can come together to put an end to the thefts.
Detectives are asking anyone who has information on any of these cases to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-473-8477.