POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A Pompano Beach landscaper is reeling days after, he said, a thief stole thousands of dollars in lawn equipment that are essential to his business.
David Croyale spoke with 7News on Friday about the holiday heist.
“Your heart sinks, because it’s everything I have, you know? I’m a family business,” he said.
Croyale said he got a call earlier this week, after a person was caught on surveillance video breaking into the lot where he stored his landscaping equipment, off Hammondville Road.
“‘Hey, your trailer is gone. Did you move it? We’re going to send you pictures. Does it look like there’s more stuff missing?'” said Croyale as he recalled what was said to him.
Croyale said the perpetrator rolled out with his trailer and every single piece or lawn equipment he owned.
The landscaper estimates that nearly $25,000 worth of machinery was taken from him.
“All the tools that go with it: three chainsaws, two brand-new backpack blowers, weed eater, edger, pole trimmers, regular trimmers,” he said.
To add insult to injury, Croyale said, the theft occurred while he was in the hospital recovering from surgery after a Christmas Day bicycle crash.
“I ended up crashing my bike, and I broke my fibula. They put a plate in my fibula, and I tore the meniscus in my knee,” said Croyale.
This theft has forced the family to rethink if they will be able to carry out the buisness.
“With the broken leg it was, ‘OK, honey. Well, we can get through this together,’ but then losing all of the equipment, too, it’s just a real hard hit,” said Croyale.
Croyale said he hopes that the subject gets caught, and he thinks it shouldn’t be so hard for someone on the street to do the right thing.
“If you get people approaching you on the street with a deal that’s too good to be true, it’s because it came from someone like me, because they stole my stuff,” he said. “When they want to sell you a $10,000 lawn mower for $3,000, you’re supporting this.”
If you would like to donate to a Gofundme page set up for Croyale’s family, click here.
If you have any information on this theft, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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