HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A bold bandit went to great lengths to get his hands on some high-tech merchandise, but he may have found out later that the loot wasn’t exactly high-end.
It happened at the iShop Repair store at 1803 N. 68th Ave. in Hollywood at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
Video shows a man walking up with a shopping cart, which he turned into a battering ram. Eventually, it shows the store’s impact windows fracturing and the suspect kicks them in.
Soon he was able to slip his hand through the panel to unlock the front door. He then ran in with a brick to smash the impact case.
“I’m like no, this cannot be happening again because it’s not the first time this has happened to us,” said store owner Jeremias Berganza.
Berganza, who owns several phone and fix-it shops, said he was alerted by his alarms.
In this case, the crook made off with low-cost international phones that won’t fetch much online.
“We learn from our mistakes before and there’s nothing valuable in the store -- no cash or anything like that -- but unfortunately, they don’t know that,” said Berganza. “They just come in and they create big damages and it’s not even worth it because now he didn’t even make money and he’s going to go to jail.”
That’s what happened at Berganza’s other store back in June.
In that case, the crook, wearing a box on his head to hide his identity, smashed the case at Berganza’s other business in Miami Gardens, but he accidentally knocked the box off his head.
That’s when you got a clear look at the suspect, identified as Claude Vincent Griffin, who was quickly arrested.
As that case works its way through the legal system, Berganza is left dealing with a second mess in Hollywood.
He said he’s had several thefts across his businesses, and three smash-and-grabs like this, months apart.
“The big problem is if they don’t have anywhere to sell it, they wouldn’t break in,” he said. “But unfortunately, other businesses keep buying stolen phones and pawn shops and on the streets that it actually makes us an easy target.”
Berganza believes in this case, the man came to his store about a week prior, asking questions.
Police are investigating and asking anyone with information to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.