Thieves slam car through front of Fresno sneaker store during break-in
A crew of thieves smashed through the front of a sneaker store in an attempt to steal thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- At least five thieves are on the loose after a dramatic break-in just before dawn at the DripOnDrip sneaker store in River Park Monday.
Shocking surveillance video captured the thieves as they busted through the front of the store.
Four of the suspects scrambled to look for merchandise as they yanked on displays.
The team of crooks was in and out in just 35 seconds.
"A lot of individuals got off," owner Roman Gonzales said. "They came in with the intent to steal a lot of inventory."
Gonzales is now left to pick up the pieces.
He estimates a few thousand dollars of damage to the storefront but just a few hundred dollars in stolen merchandise.
"It looks like they made away with a backpack and maybe a fanny pack," he said. "They also made away with items that I give away to the local community. They're not expensive items, but they're heartwarming/felt items for the teenagers that come around randomly."
It is the second time in 13 months that thieves have targeted the business. This time, the store's security precautions prevented them from stealing more.
RELATED | Merchandise stolen from DripOnDrip shoe store in River Park
Only one shoe is displayed, and clothing is not visible overnight.
The register is even left open in plain sight of the window to show there is no cash inside.
If the thieves had looked through the window, Gonzales confirmed they would not have seen any cash or merchandise.
"They would've not committed that crime," he said. "They would've thought twice about breaking into the location."
Fresno police confirm officers are now investigating the incident.
It comes amid other retail burglaries, including another Monday morning at a Metro by T-Mobile store, where thieves busted through the front and snatched several phones.
Just last week, a car rammed into a Lens Crafters, and thieves recently targeted the Nike store in River Park.
"It's something that's unfortunate," Gonzales said. "There's other ways and means to make legitimate money."
The thieves will not deter Gonzales, though.
He is committed to opening on Tuesday during their regular hours and says he will soon implement even more security measures to prevent a similar break-in from happening again.
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