FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Two containers containing about $1.5 million worth of beach attire have been recovered after being stolen from a business in Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale police confirmed the 40-foot and 20-foot containers were stolen overnight from Exist Sports Line, which is located in the1600 block of Northwest 23rd Ave.
The company's CFO and general manager, Stephen Feldschuh, told Local 10 News reporter Sanela Sabovic that at least four people were captured on surveillance video taking part in the theft.
"Most likely the street value of the 40-foot container had $1 million worth of clothing and the 20-foot had a half million dollars' worth of clothing in it," Feldschuh said.
Feldschuh said the incident was a sophisticated theft. At least four burglars were caught on camera around midnight, breaking through a fence and cutting the barb wire before taking the two containers.
"They broke through multiple layers of security. This was an organized event," Feldschuh said.
The theft was a hefty hit to the company, which is the country's largest distributor and manufacturer of beachwear clothing.
"We don't have the ability, and the factory doesn't have the ability to go, 'Oh OK, I'm going to make a whole entire container's worth of clothing,'" Feldschuh said.
Feldschuh said the company has had smaller thefts occur, but nothing like this.
The business has at least 65 cameras on the property, and police are now reviewing that video.
Feldschuh is hoping that it's only a matter of time before the crooks are caught.
He said he doesn't believe anything was stolen from the smaller container, but they need to do an inventory check on both containers to be sure.