High-end items stolen in smash-and-grab at Merrimack Premium Outlets, owners say
Store owners post surveillance video of thefts online
Store owners post surveillance video of thefts online
Store owners post surveillance video of thefts online
Merrimack police are investigating a smash-and-grab burglary at the Merrimack Premium Outlets that was caught on camera.
The store owners said they lost tens of thousands of dollars in hard-to-find merchandise, but they hope their loyal online followers can help solve the case.
Police said five thieves dressed in hoodies smashed their way into La Ola Streetwear at the Merrimack Premium Outlets at about 2:30 a.m. Friday. They grabbed high-end, highly sought-after apparel and accessories that retail from $500 to $1,000 apiece, police said.
They also grabbed Bearbricks, which are large, plastic collectible toys that can cost thousands of dollars. Police said the thieves were gone in three minutes.
"I definitely think they were in the store at least once before, because they were in and out and knew exactly what they were going to take," said Cameron Gauthier, of La Ola Streetwear.
The store is owned by three men who grew up in New Hampshire. They made the move from online sales to a brick-and-mortar store 18 months ago.
"The damage was pretty excruciating to see, especially all the time and work we put into the shop," said Gabriel Vargas, of La Ola Streetwear.
"It's sad to see that people still want to do this to small businesses and disappointing to us," said Parker Carthcart, of La Ola Streetwear.
The clothing wall is now empty. Expensive, hard-to-find shoes were mostly left alone because only right shoes are on display. The owners said the thieves weren't able to get into the locked back room.
The owners have posted surveillance video of the thefts online, along with a list of what was taken. They said they hope their followers might be able to help.
"Our stuff isn't everywhere. It's pretty exclusive," Vargas said. "So, if something like the toy, for example, comes up out of the ordinary, we're going to know who it was."
Anyone with information can call Merrimack police at 603-424-3774 or leave an anonymous tip with Crimeline at 603-424-2424.