Caught on camera: Thieves ransack tech repair store in Hicksville; latest in string of burglaries
Police say the most recent incident happened early Sunday morning at “Phone Repair” on South Broadway in Hicksville.
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A break-in at a Hicksville tech repair store is the latest in a string of smash-and-grab burglaries across Long Island.
Police say the most recent incident happened early Sunday morning at “Phone Repair” on South Broadway in Hicksville. Similar break-ins happened in Babylon, Carle Place and Lynbrook earlier this week.
Surveillance video shows three people using a brick to smash the glass at the front of the store while a fourth suspect waited outside in a red SUV. The video then shows the suspects peeling back the damaged glass and running inside.
The store manager says the suspects stole about $12,000 worth of merchandise, including iPhones, MacBooks and computer monitors. Several display cases inside the store were also damaged.
The manager also says police told him the Hicksville break-in may be connected to the incidents in Lynbrook and Carle Place.
A neighboring business, East West Jewelers, shared surveillance footage with News 12. Owner Vijay Verma says the incident has left him shaken.
“It’s scary. They just came, four people. They could have had guns or something else. At least it happened at night,” Verma said.
Verma says someone tried to break into his jewelry store during the daytime last year using a gun and a hammer but was unable to get inside because the business is protected by bulletproof glass. He says he added a security guard and additional cameras.
After Sunday’s break-in, Verma says he and other nearby business owners want to see a stronger police presence in the area.
“We would like to have more security and more police around, which is good for the neighborhood,” he said.
Police say the investigation into the break-in is ongoing. As of Sunday, authorities had not confirmed whether all of the incidents are officially linked.
