A sneaker store owner is asking for the public’s help after some brazen thieves broke into his business.
Surveillance video shows the perpetrators as they shattered the front door of Kicked Up by Kicksquad Miami, located near Southwest 18th Street and 67th Avenue, at around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14.
The team of thieves raided every rack after busting through the door, loading up as much merchandise as they could fit into the back of their pickup truck.
Axel Rosario, the store’s owner, said he watched it happen after he got a security alert on his phone.
“I checked the cameras and I see them, you know, the man hitting the door with a hammer,” said Rosario. “It was heartbreaking. I couldn’t believe it.”
In the surveillance video, five people can be seen exiting the truck after parking in front of the shoe store.
Two of them swung hammers at the door several times until the window broke.
Then the thieves pull several large bins out of the truck, rushing inside to fill them up with everything they can grab.
According to police, the thieves went straight for the high-end apparel on display.
In just three minutes, the men loaded the back of the truck completely and took off.
Rosario arrived just a few minutes after to find his store ransacked.
He said he lost between $50,000 and $60,000 from stolen merchandise and damage to his store.
He tried to make an insurance claim for the stolen items but was denied.
“For them to do what they did in three minutes, all the hard work that took years, it’s sad. It’s a very sad situation,” said Rosario.
The pain for Rosario hitting especially close to home. The money he made operating the store helped cover his mother’s treatment in her battle against late-stage breast cancer.
“She actually helped me with all of this when we first started,” said Rosario.
He said he’s committed to doing whatever it takes to rebuild his shop and ensure his mother gets all the help and treatment she needs.
“At the end of the day, that’s the most important thing and she’s the one that helped me with all of this, so if I have to sell the entire store to fund her cancer treatment, I will,” said Rosario.
If you’re interested in supporting Rosario, he has set up a GoFundMe that would support his mother’s treatment while he works to rebuild his store.
If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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