A Hollywood cellphone store owner is reeling from another blow to his business after a thief used a shopping cart to bulldoze through the store's entrance in an eager yet misguided attempt to seize high-value items. The incident, which took place at the iShop Repair store on N. 68th Ave., occurred just after 2 a.m. on Wednesday, as seen in surveillance footage that captured the brazen break-in and theft.
Jeremias Berganza, the troubled owner of the store, discussed the ordeal in an interview with WSVN, revealing the extent of the damage and his dismay at being targeted yet again. "He tried hard, 'cause those impact windows are hard to break," said Berganza. The thief made several attempts with the shopping cart before kicking in the glass, crawling through, and smashing a display case with a brick to reach the phones. In spite of his efforts, the criminal only managed to swipe phones valued at less than $300 in total, apparently unaware of the store's precautionary measures.
In a further conversation reported by Local 10, the store owner detailed how his previous experiences had shaped his current practices, noting, "We learn from our mistakes before and there's nothing valuable in the store -- no cash or anything like that -- but unfortunately, they don't know that. They just come in and they create big damages and it's not even worth it because now he didn't even make money and he’s going to go to jail."
The recent burglary was not an isolated incident for Berganza's enterprise. A similar smash-and-grab had been perpetrated at another of his Miami Gardens locations last June, where the crook comically wore a box on his head. In an investigative triumph, police arrested the suspect, identified as Claude Vincent Griffin, soon after. Berganza lamented the ongoing threat of theft across his multiple businesses and pointed out the role played by a persistent market for stolen goods, "The big problem is if they didn't have anywhere to sell it, they wouldn't break in," he told Local 10. He suggested that the latest thief had cased the store a week prior, asking probing questions.
The front door of the iShop Repair now stands patched with plywood as evidence of the late-night smash-and-grab, while authorities pursue leads on the thief's whereabouts. Hollywood police urge anyone with information to step forward and contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered, and as is standard, tipsters can remain anonymous, ensuring their involvement does not cast them into an unwanted spotlight.
