JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Two burglars who entered a Jacksonville Beach liquor store and then broke through into the interior wall of a jewelry store on Christmas Eve are being sought by police.
The incident happened at 5:55 a.m. Wednesday at Broudy's Liquor Store on Marsh Landing Parkway.
During the burglary, the suspects broke through an interior wall leading into Espling Jewelers, police said.
Once inside the store, the burglars stole jewelry and watches from the display cases.
Customers were shocked to hear the news.
"It makes me kind of feel unsafe that people are out and about, sneaking and doing things that are not necessarily deadly, but they're putting other people's lives, livelihoods, businesses at risk," said customer Cydney Meadows.
An alarm went off inside at least one of the stores that alerted police, who arrived in about 6 minutes. Police are now on the lookout for the men who got away.
"I think a lot of people are pretty desperate right around now," Meadows said. "Try to do something for Christmas but there's still no excuse to do something so silly, and it really puts you at risk to not be able to enjoy your family more than anything."
Both of the burglars were captured on video wearing masks, gloves, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
News4Jax has learned the jewelry store was also broken into about 10 years ago and the crooks got in that time through the ceiling.
The manager of the liquor store has to check inventory but believes the burglars got away with one bottle of Korbel champagne. It looked like they were trying to get more, but were spooked likely when the cops arrived.
A box of expensive champagne was found in the Chili's parking lot and another box by the window the burglars broke into.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-270-1661.