Employees of burgled smoke shop speak out about the string of break-ins

The employees of the Fort Lauderdale smoke shop that was burgled twice in the span of a week is speculating about the perpetrators.

Snoopy’s Smoke Shop employees say it’s possible that the two break ins could be the same crooks involved.

“Either it’s the same people or they got the idea from the people that did it at the other places, ’cause it’s the same thing,” said an employee.

The first time, a trio broke into the store through the front door and made off with more than $1,000 in merchandise.

It happened again on Saturday, when two burglars broke a window and climbed inside, taking as much product as they could carry.

“We’re, you know, running a business to feed a family, like, this is ridiculous,” said a woman.

The Fort Lauderdale crimes are similar to two recent ones in Margate.

Sky World Smoke Shop on Royal Palm Boulevard and Rock Island Road and Vapor Shark, located at 5514 West Sample Road in Margate were also broken into last week.

“They had bins, it looked like a bank heist. They came and knew exactly what they were doing,” Vapor Shark’s owner told 7News.

And it appears the burglars are using similar looking bins as ones involved in other break-ins.

“They just use the bin tossing everything in broke the window closest to behind the register, so it seems like it’s all the same thing,” said an employee.

Snoopy’s Smoke Shop employees say the best advice for other businesses is to spend extra money on security.

“If you have the money for it, definitely like hurricane shutters or something, and then cheaper alternative is the bars on the window. Even night security. Have someone stay in the shop or in the plaza,” said an employee.

Police say this is an active investigation and have yet to determine if any of the burglaries are related.