Burglars tear down walls to break into West Marine in Jacksonville

It was the type of break-in you’d see in a movie.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said the burglars caused more than $100,000 worth of damage getting into West Marine on Roosevelt Boulevard.

JSO said in an incident report the burglars entered the building by pounding a hole into cement bricks in the back of the store.

From there, they entered a vacant building.

“What strikes me about this is that they methodically took their time and tunneled through several walls to get to this place,” Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said.

Inside the building, we saw tunnels carved into the Sheetrock.

JSO said the burglars also cut power to the alarm system.

We asked West Marine if they had surveillance video, but the managers wouldn’t confirm if they had it.

“If they took this type of time to plan this out, they knew whether or not there were surveillance cameras there and if there were they would’ve done something to conceal themselves,” Jefferson said.

JSO said the burglars cut power to the alarm system and ransacked the store after they gained access through a carved a hole in the men’s bathroom or back storage area.

“It was just tools that you use to tear down walls. A sledgehammer and picks and things of that nature,” Jefferson said.

We asked Jefferson if he believes police suspect it may have been an inside job.

“They’re going to interview personnel that works there, personnel that formerly worked there and then they’re going to sweep the area to see what else they can find,” Jefferson said.

JSO said the burglars took a TV, VCR, computer and $665 in cash before they escaped.

JSO said this isn’t the first time West Marine has been burglarized.

Cox Media Group