Authorities in southern Florida are searching for a thief who was caught on video breaking into two electronic cigarette stores by shooting the glass in front of the shops.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has reported that a suspect, described as a Caucasian male with a medium build, is responsible for stealing from two independent Ignite Vapors shops located on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota.
The first burglary occurred at around 2:30 am on December 5th. Video footage shows a man shooting the front glass door of a company until it shatters. He then crawls out of the hole with a travel bag in hand.
According to the Sheriff's Office, he filled a bag with vaping products and left through the back door, jumping over a large concrete wall.
Three days later, another theft occurred at another Ignite Vapors store. Prior to stealing the cash register, the suspect fired multiple shots at the front window of the store. The Sheriff's office reported that he fled south on Cattlemen Road in a company vehicle.
During an interview with Fox 13 Tampa Bay, Dana Judge of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office stated that the man appeared to value speed over stealth.
Perhaps he thought it was the quickest way, but it seems to be the only reason it happened as it was certainly a loud way," said Jackie. "He appeared to be quite agile, as seen in some videos where he jumped over counters and a concrete wall to escape from behind one of the stores.
The judge told Fox 13 that it is rare to see a burglar enter a business while armed with a gun, and investigators are hoping that this fact will help them catch the suspect.
The neighboring county of Manatee also experienced similar cases of burglary, prompting two law enforcement agencies to work together to solve the case.
The MCSO has reported that three e-cigarette shops within its jurisdiction have been targeted for attacks in recent weeks. Two of these shops, located within a few miles of each other, were robbed within the same hour. Surveillance footage indicates that at least five masked individuals were involved in these two criminal incidents.
Some individuals may recognize someone's way of standing or walking and might be approached to buy these products. Therefore, we hope members of the community will feel the need to report any suspicious activity,” said Jackie.
According to reports, these stores are located in close proximity to the community, and authorities are hoping to apprehend the armed suspects before anyone is injured.
These areas are not very popular at night, but they are certainly areas where people live nearby," added Jiaqi.
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