It was caught on security video and as KPTV’s Drew Marine reports, the way the suspects broke into the place was like something out of a movie.
Early Sunday morning around 1:30, Pearl Hardware supervisor Drew Stefani says two people broke into their store, stealing $5,500 worth of merchandise.
Stefani said, “Two people basically got on top of the building and rappelled in through our Skylight.”
In surveillance video of the pair caught in the act, you can see rope hanging from the skylight and one person shimmies their way down, at one point looking directly at the surveillance camera.
And then a second person, wearing a bright orange hoodie, rappels down after falling from the rope and crashing into shelving on the way down.
Once the two were in, surveillance video shows them making their way through the aisles, piling things into carts and storage bins and, in some cases, breaking into glass cases to get to items like power tools.
Stefani said, “They were in here for about 30 minutes because they didn’t trigger alarms. They basically stole a bunch of flashlights, all of our nest thermometers, a lot of power tools, smaller compact big-ticket items that are easy to sell.”
After the two got everything loaded up, they attempted to get out through a back door which triggered an alarm, alerting the owner and police but the suspects got away.
Stefani says not only is this break-in violating, but it’s frustrating too.
They’re getting their roof fixed, which is why the scaffolding was at their store in the first place.
“It’s always a little unsettling watching people break into your space,” Stephani explained. “We’ve been dealing with leaks throughout the store, this whole… last year and this year so if it’s not one thing it’s another.”
The store manager asks anyone who recognizes the suspects to please call Portland police.
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