OAKLAND PARK, FLA. (WSVN) - Two crooks were caught on surveillance video stealing decorative planters and outdoor furniture from an Oakland Park business.
The masked men could be seen taking the valuables behind Abington Auction Gallery, off Dixie Highway near Oakland Park Boulevard, just before midnight last Thursday.
“You feel violated by these sort of situations that you can’t display,” Craig Mayor, the business owner, said. “They just took their time as they came in and spent about five minutes picking what they wanted and put it in their car.”
The video shows a black BMW sedan traveling down the alley behind the business. The passenger then opened the car door and pauses before getting out of the vehicle.
A few seconds after the pause, the two men begin stealing what they wanted.
“Somebody obviously had been in our gallery,” Mayor said. “We treated them very nicely, and they come back, and rather than pay for the things, they help themselves.”
The pair of crooks then load up the items into the vehicle’s back seat and trunk compartment. The two would swipe planters, benches and other items.
“They had already thought about doing this because they had bags of mulch in the back of their car,” Mayor said.
Mayor hopes the surveillance video will help the Broward Sheriff’s Office identify the duo behind the burglary.
“It’s not the value or getting our objects back but having somebody have accountability and expose them for what they are: thieves,” he said.
Mayor has since tied down statues and other items the business leaves outside to prevent further thefts from occurring.
“It’s really a shame not to be able to keep these things and show people how they look in place,” he said. “Hopefully, our clientele will have enough of their own imagination.”
If you have any information on this burglary, 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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