Smash and Grab at North Miami Beach Cell Phone Store Caught on Video

Thieves crash truck through store's entrance in latest burglary

North Miami Beach Police are investigating after yet another business smash and grab burglary was caught on video in South Florida.

The latest incident happened around 4:45 a.m. Saturday at the Verizon Store at 14744 Biscayne Boulevard, police said.

Police say two suspects in a black Dodge pickup truck tried to pull off the front door using a tow strap fastened to the rear of the truck. The driver accelerated several times but was unable to open the door.

Rather than give up, the suspects decided to just drive the truck through the front door, police said.

"It appeared that the suspects tied some sort of a chain or a rope to the front door and attempted to rip the door off," North Miami Beach Police spokesman Rick Slusher said. "When that attempt failed, the suspects just decided to drive the truck through the front door, through the front windshield, through the counter and into the business."

The suspects ransacked the store and display cases and fled the scene. It's unknown if the suspects got away with any merchandise but they managed to cause $40,000 worth of damages, police said.

Employees said the front door was replaced Tuesday but more repairs had to be made.

The incident is just the latest in a series of smash and grab burglaries in Miami-Dade and Broward. At least four similar incidents involving ATM machines have been reported in Miami-Dade in the past two weeks.

In September, thieves crashed a car into a North Miami cell phone store, following similar burglaries at h.h. gregg stores in Aventura and Hialeah and an electronics store in North Miami Beach.

"We've noticed an increase in these types of business burglaries throughout Dade and Broward County, we're not sure whether these incidents are related in any way, shape or form, however, we do see a rise in this type of business burglary," Slusher said.

Police are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

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