Thief escapes after robbing business

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Authorities are searching for a man who robbed a South Florida business and escaped.

Surveillance video shows the thief breaking into the Game Time Electronics Store in Fort Lauderdale.

The man forced his way into the business through the roof and stole pricey items from the store. "He stole a few iPads, iPhones, one laptop, a few electronics from the back, things that we repair for customers" said Luis of Game Time Electronics.

The theft isn't the only reason why Luis is angry. The most shocking part of this crime is how the crook managed to escape. "Cops come out, they check on the scene, pulls on the door, thief is still inside and gets away cause the guy basically failed to do his job," said Luis.

An officer responding to the store's alarm walks into the business oblivious to the thief. Seconds after the officer entered, the thief walked away. "They could have done a better job. If I would have been in that position, I would have definitely picked up inside the store," said Luis. "The guy was trapped here if he wouldn't have done that we would have caught him when we opened up first thing in the morning."

The burglar left a hole in the ceiling and countless damage to the office area. "It's not something I want to be dealing with at this time," said Luis. "We ended up losing at least $15,000 dollars of merchandise which is not a lot of money for some people but for a small business guy like me it's a lot of money."

Luis is hoping that the surveillance video will help catch the thief, who he says is a familiar face. "He's a previous customer," he said. "I have definitely seen the guy in the store."

If you have any information on this burglary, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

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