A clothing store in Santa Ana has fallen victim to theft for the third time this year, with surveillance footage capturing the incident. Three masked individuals broke into The Hype Rack, owned by Brandon Aguilera, and made off with several bags filled with clothing and other merchandise.
Aguilera expressed his increasing frustration over the repeated burglaries, stating, “They basically came in, took everything they wanted to take, and left, literally, in less than three minutes.” The owner estimates his financial losses from this incident to be around $20,000, which includes the cost of repairing the damage to the store’s windows.
Just days before the burglary, Aguilera had restocked his inventory with approximately $10,000 worth of new clothing. “Literally on Monday, we restocked and got hit on Wednesday,” he lamented. The quickness of the theft, as shown in the surveillance video, highlights a troubling trend for the business owner, who is now questioning the viability of his store.
“They were in here, in and out,” Aguilera noted. The video footage shows the suspects fleeing the scene, first dashing down the stairs and then running across the parking lot.
In response to the repeated incidents, Aguilera has filed police reports and reached out to local city leaders to explore additional measures for enhancing the security of his business. “It’s emotional because it hurts. It really does hurt,” he shared. “Right now, we’re in a pretty deep hole.”
To assist in the investigation, Santa Ana police are asking anyone with information regarding the identities of the thieves to come forward. As Aguilera navigates this difficult situation, the impact of the thefts on his livelihood remains significant.