Sneaker store owner seeks help in finding thieves who stole $5K in merchandise from Margate store – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
MARGATE, FLA. (WSVN) – A sneaker store owner is speaking out and seeking justice after a video shows a pair of thieves breaking into his store and getting away with thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes.
Speaking with 7News on Friday, Andrew Sonco, the owner of Sneaker Connects in Margate, said the heist occurred in a matter of seconds in the overnight hours of Thursday.
Surveillance video shows a car pulling into the store’s parking lot, then two men quickly opening the trunk and breaking into the store.
Sonco said he was asleep at home when the phone alarm woke him.
“I was sleeping, now another alarm goes through my phone, beeping. I finally wake up at 3:05 a.m., and all I see is my camera and my alarm going off. I looked at it, and I see cops and dogs in my store, and I’m like, ‘OK, something happened,’” he said.
In mere minutes, the thieves ransacked his store and threw $5,000 worth of merchandise into the trunk of the car before fleeing the scene.
Sonco said the thieves stole lots of sneakers and jerseys, leaving him shocked and angry.
“A lot of street wear, a lot of street brands that we had. And our soccer jerseys for our soccer team that we had. Only like a couple of shoes, a pair of Jordan Melos, [University of North Carolina] and a pair of [Nike] Air Maxes,” he said.
The store’s front door was also shattered, costing the owner another $3,000 in repairs.
“I’ve been doing this six years, and you know, letting this go off the wind is just… It ticks me off because, honestly, I’ve been doing so good helping the community out. I’ve been doing the sneakers for over 15 years, and just this happening, just took me out.”
A day after the burglary, he’s back in business, and his store is up and running. But this store owner has a message to the crooks.
“Please find God. There’s too much evil out there. We all work hard for our stuff. You guys should just get a job. There’s so much work out here. You shouldn’t take it from a small business,” he said.
Now, he hopes the thieves will be brought to justice.
According to Margate Police, detectives are working on the investigation, but as of late Friday night, the thieves hadn’t been caught.
If you have any information on this crime, 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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