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Medley Thieves Take $65K In Electronics And Cell Phones

MEDLEY (CBS4) -- A Medley business owner is appealing for the public's help after burglars smash a hole in a wall inside his business and steal more than $66,000 worth of used cell phones and other merchandise.

"It's outrageous," said Francisco Segui, whose business Cellular Wholesales at 12601 N.W. 115th Avenue was burglarized between 4:30 p.m. last Friday and 9:30 Monday morning.

"You work hard and this is not good," he told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "This is not good for the U.S. economy. I mean people are struggling."

Segui showed D'Oench a gaping hole in the side of his warehouse suite. He believes at least two burglars broke in to the adjoining suite at the warehouse he was in and then smashed a hole in the wall.

"They tore open boxes and pallets," he said. "They took security items and surveillance cameras and 3,000 used cellular phones. This is the first time this has happened to me and this is terrible."

"I hope they find whoever did this so I can recoup some of my losses. I only have insurance for some of my losses," he said. "I don't have surveillance cameras. But now I am thinking of getting them."

"It would mean a lot for these people to be caught," he said. "It would mean justice would be served."

Segui said he has an alarm system with sensors but for some reason, they did not go off.

Medley Police spokeswoman Natalie Buissereth said, "What strikes me about this is these people knew exactly what they were doing. They went right for the higher-priced

cell phones."

Detectives are trying to determine if this was an "inside job" in which burglars might have received help from someone working in other suites at the warehouse.

Buissereth said there has been an increase lately in such burglaries where criminals break into businesses by smashing holes in walls.

"These phones are on their way to South America right now where there is a big market for them," she said.

Buisssereth said "We have no suspects right now. And that's why we need the public's help. If anyone knows anything they should call."

Anyone with information is urged to call the Medley Police Department at (305) 883-2047 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).

Callers are eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 and their names will be kept anonymous.

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