As the world makes sense of the Louvre losing out on multiple Crown Jewels, thieves have now hit a Florida mall in a similarly-staged heist. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced this week that masked burglars went as far as cutting a hole in the roof to steal hundreds of pairs of Nike and New Balance sneakers.
Florida mall heist – Officials say the robbery scene was straight out of a movie
In a social media message, the authorities almost appeared impressed by the efforts put in by robbers much close to home as opposed to merely minutes-long heist at the Louvre. “Not quite the Crown Jewels — but it’s clear these sneaker thieves put the same time and effort into their crime,” the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said at a press conference. “The stolen merchandise was bagged, tagged, thrown off the roof, and loaded into a getaway vehicle. As you can see, some of the goods got hastily left behind.”
Much like French authorities comparing the Louvre theft to high-octane heist flicks, Sheriff John Budensiek also likened the Florida mall incident to a wildly popular Tom Cruise caper franchise.
“We had a burglary that we discovered yesterday that appears to be right out of ‘Mission Impossible,'” he said. Alluding to the recent jewellery heist at the French museum, he went on, “I watched the national news — saw what happened across the pond where they stole the crown jewels, and this is a one-off of that.”
What do we know about the Florida mall thieves, losses incurred
Budensiek suggested that those responsible robbing the back storage room of a Champs Storing Goods at Treasure Coast Mall in Jensen Beach between midnight and 8 am on Tuesday (US time) were “organised criminals.” He further said that the individuals involved are probably “travelling criminals,” who came up to Martin County and got off with a significant amount of product.
Detailing how the thieves most likely executed the heist, he said, “They didn’t do that with a handsaw. They used electric tools — probably a grinder or saw — and somehow worked for hours without being detected.” They are said to have eventually escaped the scene in a getaway vehicle parked outside the mall.
The sneakers stolen in the process have been estimated to be worth between $40,000 and $50,000. On top of that, the hole cut through the roof will cost $10,000 for repair, according to ABC News.
Authorities have yet to name any suspects. Moreover, no one has been arrested so far. With the investigation ongoing, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office has urged people to share any tips on the matter at 772-220-7060.