Fort Lauderdale police are on the lookout for two suspects involved in the break-in and theft from Ash & Vine, a local cigar and wine store, authorities said the crime occurred on Saturday around 2:40 a.m. at the establishment, which sits at 31 N. Federal Highway. The owner, Alvaro Cornavaca, received an alert on his phone when the burglary was in progress, he relayed his shock to 7News, "I saw two men entering the building and just, you know, wreaking havoc," Cornavaca said.
According to the store's surveillance footage, the suspects were initially seen outside near the door before one of them shattered the front glass and both entered. Inside, they were captured on video taking hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise, with Cornavaca describing that "they went through these cabinets here, so they opened these up, just a little chip here from the screwdriver that they used to open up to avoid their fingerprints." He also provided details on the suspects' appearance to 7News, noting one man had covered his face with what appeared to be a wig or shirt, while the other simply wore glasses.
The original plan seemed to involve breaking into the neighboring T-Mobile store, but after failing to pierce its double-pane glass, the duo turned their attention to the cigar shop. "They were trying to get into T-Mobile next door and they couldn’t get in ’cause they have double-pane glass, and so they just saw the store and they’re, ‘Hey, let’s check out what’s out in here," Cornavaca told 7News. It appears the burglars were unfamiliar with the layout of the store; they did not head straight for the higher-value items such as the cigars, but instead, hastily grabbed lighters and other easily accessible goods.
In a related report, Local 10 acquired video showing the pair stuffing lighters into a tote bag. Cornavaca lamented the financial impact of the break-in, estimating "about $500 worth of lighters" were taken, alongside the cost of replacing the broken glass. Despite the setback, Cornavaca expressed gratitude that the security system notified him and authorities promptly, allowing for a rapid response.
No arrests have been made thus far, however, the suspects apparently did not wear gloves, and police were able to recover fingerprints at the scene. Fort Lauderdale authorities urge anyone with information about the identity of the culprits to contact local law enforcement. Should you have any tips, you may reach out to Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may qualify for a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.
