CORAL SPRINGS, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida landscaper is reeling one day after, he said, thieves took over $1,000 in tools from his trailer outside of a Coral Springs home.
Derrick said he mowed the lawn at the home near Northwest 51st Court and 83rd Lane in Coral Springs, at around 11 a.m. on Friday, but he’s the one that got clipped.
The victim, who asked to only use his first name, said he did not realize the theft had taken place until he arrived at his next job.
“Quick, lock up the things and rush to the other job. I realized that my tools weren’t in the trailer,” he said.
Derrick called homeowner Dean Higgins, who examined his surveillance video. That’s when he saw a Honda sedan circling the block.
The footage showed the vehicle backing up and someone getting out of the passenger side.
“As he went in and out of the trailer — he went in and out twice — he put everything in the backseat and ran, and it looks like perpendicular to the driver’s seat to get the long equipment in, and drove away fast,” said Higgins.
So fast, it took just 36 seconds from the time the person riding shotgun stepped out of the car and grabbed all of Derrick’s landscaping tools that allow him to earn a living.
The victim estimates the total loss at about $1,500. He said this is not the first time he has been targeted.
“They keep taking all my stuff, and my stuff is very expensive,” he said.
Derrick said he always locks up the tools, but he thought his finishing sweep would be fast enough, and he did not count on a pair of bandits working at blistering speed.
As police investigate this landscaping larceny, Higgins has a warning he would like to pass on the public.
“Anybody who leaves their garage doors open for a minute really needs to think twice,” he said. “You can’t leave anything unsecured for even a second.”
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 $3,000 reward.
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