JENSEN BEACH, FLORIDA — Authorities are investigating a burglary at Treasure Coast Square mall that saw thieves cut through the roof of a sporting goods store and make off with tens of thousands of dollars in shoes.
Deputies from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office were called to the Champs Sports store just after 9 a.m. on Oct. 21. A worker opening the store around 8:45 a.m. discovered a large number of shoe boxes missing and, upon further inspection, noticed a gaping hole in the ceiling leading to the roof.
Investigators believe the burglary occurred sometime between midnight Oct. 20 and 8 a.m. Oct. 21. Sheriff John Budensiek said a group of burglars cut through the mall’s concrete roof before dropping into the store and stealing between 400 and 500 boxes of Nike and New Balance shoes. The stolen merchandise is valued at $40,000 to $50,000.
Deputies found footprints leading from the back room into the main sales area. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspects bagged and tagged the stolen shoes, then tossed them off the mall roof to a waiting vehicle.
Budensiek said the burglars came equipped with tools capable of making a “clean cut” through the concrete roof and likely spent significant time on top of the building. “We don’t know how they made their way from the roof down into the actual business and then back out,” Budensiek said. “There is high shelving in there where they could potentially shimmy down from within and then get back up, but I wouldn’t assume that they would come prepared to get that lucky.”
The store’s alarm system never sounded because it only monitored the front gate and back door. While a motion-sensor camera was triggered, it did not alert an alarm company.
Investigators do not believe the burglary was an inside job, but the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is actively working the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
