Two car dealers burglarized same day, police say cases could be related

Fresno, Calif. (KFSN) -- In the early morning hours of August 12th, two suspects were involved in burglarizing a luxury pre-owned car dealership -- president of executive auto center Dror Geron in Northeast Fresno showed us this surveillance video where you can see a masked suspect take off in a Hummer.

"At the gate, it shows he had an accomplice who pulled up in what looks like a white dodge neon with tinted windows that brought a set of bolt cutters that cut the lock to the gate and they were able to drive out," said Geron.

Geron says the only reason they got away was because they cut the phone wires, disconnecting their alarm system.

"And once that's done your alarm system can't call anyone because they're dead," said Geron.

That same morning, the Fresno Police Department says a trailer was stolen in East Central Fresno at Thompson Motor Sales. In the surveillance video the suspect is seen walking across the street to the lot, and what police believe could be the same getaway car parked across the street.

Geron believes the only reason the suspects got away with these crimes, is because they knew how to tamper with the alarm system--and according to their surveillance video, he says that gave them enough time to spend about three hours at his dealership--moving cars around the showroom to get the Hummer out, and ransacking their business. They broke glass windows and doors--stealing iPads, cash, and more valuable items.

"They knew about how to cut the wires leading into the alarm they cut phone wires destroyed motion sensor detectors so they knew what they were doing when they got into this business," said Lieutenant Mark Hudson.

Geron says he wants this to be a lesson to other business owners or people who still have their alarms connected to their phone lines--he's since went to a wireless system and believes if he did so sooner, these criminals would already be behind bars

"I've been here over 20 years, a little over 20 years really never had any incident of this magnitude whatsoever this suspect really knew what he was doing and really could hit anybody at any time," said Geron.