The burglary was caught on camera at the Sears store located on Floral and Highway 99 in Selma.
Police investigators are using the security surveillance video from Sunday morning's burglary to catch the suspects who made off with three televisions worth more than three thousand dollars, and investigators say it's not the first time the store has been hit.
Two windows at the small Sears store in Selma remain boarded up after thieves broke in over the weekend, making off with three big-screen TV's worth $3,300. It only took them two minutes to grab three TV's. One of them was a pretty good size TV," said store owner Tom Hughes.
It actually took the three suspects 30 seconds to get in and out of the store. But their first attempt to break through the window with a rock was unsuccessful because of the shatter-proof glass in place.
"Then they decided to go on the other side and they took that same rock through here, knocked over a stand, moved our go-cart and then came in," said Hughes. In the video, you can see the crooks go directly to the TV section once they bust the class and grab the electronics. Police say this is the fourth time in the past 6 months the privately owned store has been targeted.
"You try to stay in business, you try to be a businessman and try to do things in the community, then you get hit by crooks. I'm kind of discouraged," said Hughes.
Moments after the thieves took off on a pickup truck, Selma Police arrived on scene with a K-9. Investigators are now using the footage to help with their investigation. "Video evidence provides a real great tool for the detectives. If it's someone who's local, detectives are usually able to determine who these may be," said Sgt. Terry Reid with the Selma Police Department.
In the meantime, the owner says he's going to improve security in his store to make sure he doesn't fall victim again. "I'm going to try to get some bars on the windows to maybe deter the fact that they're going to try that again. And basically I'm going to try to get rid of the TV's," said Hughes.
Selma Police say they will work with the store management to prevent further burglaries by increasing patrols at night and early in the morning.
