A group of thieves stormed luxury designer Dennis Basso’s flagship location on Madison Avenue in New York City early Saturday in a Christmas Eve heist that saw the robbers make off with millions of dollars in high-end furs.
Surveillance video from inside the store obtained exclusively by Breitbart News shows a group of three men entering the store in the pre-dawn hours of Christmas Eve.
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Police said the first robber seen in the video hurled a cobblestone into the store’s front door, shattering the glass. As he charges through the hole in the door, the second robber follows him, but is apparently struck in the head by the falling door frame. The second man can be seen holding his head as enters the store.
A third robber dressed in a beige coat rushes in after, before the second robber follows, still holding his injured head.
Just three minutes later, the three thieves exit the store holding a number of items.
Store owner Achilleas Georgiades told Breitbart News Monday morning that he was still working to determine exactly which pieces were stolen. He declined to specify the exact value of the stolen merchandise, but said the items together were likely worth millions of dollars.
Police said Monday that they have no suspects and no arrests have yet been made. The complaint is still open as law enforcement and the store employees work to determine the exact value of the stolen merchandise, the NYPD said.
Georgiades told New York 1010 WINS radio station he found the shop a “mess” when he arrived to survey the damage, with broken glass littering the floor.
“It’s shocking,” he told the station of his first thought when entering the store. “To be honest, I just wanted to make sure that we can open and get back in business because this is our busy season. This is the time we sell this merchandise.”
Georgiades said his employees had identified at least 20 “major” pieces that had been swiped, including pricey sable coats and chinchillas. He said it appeared the thieves knew where those items were placed inside the store, as they apparently headed straight for those hangers and were able to exit the store quickly.
He added that he hopes the video can help police identify the suspects.
Dennis Basso is a favorite among the Hollywood set and a number of stars have been snapped wearing the retailer’s luxury furs and gowns, including First Lady Michelle Obama, Rihanna, Paris and Nikki Hilton, Dame Helen Mirren, Kelly Ripa and Thandie Newton.
Georgiades told Breitbart News he believes audacious robberies like the one that occurred at his store on Christmas are on the rise in New York City. The owner said he doesn’t believe Mayor Bill de Blasio is doing enough to keep businesses in Manhattan safe.
“It’s hard to believe things like this can happen on Madison Avenue,” he said.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum