BJ’S COMPUTER THIEF ASSAULTS ELDERLY GREETER
- BSO Case Number: PD09-10-00762
- PIO Number: 09-11-23
- Date: Oct. 30, 2009
- Time: 5:12 p.m. Jurisdiction: Parkland
- Place of Occurrence: BJ’s Wholesale, 5901 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Parkland
Victim(s):
- Bernard Sobol, 82, Boca Raton
Suspect(s):
- Unidentified male
Description of Incident:
An elderly BJ’s greeter went above and beyond the call of duty as he tried to stop a thief running past him, trying to flee the store with high-priced electronics.
It was business as usual for 82-year-old Bernard Sobol as he greeted and checked the receipts of customers coming in and out of a Parkland BJ’s on October 30. Surveillance cameras were rolling as the suspect is seen casually walking into the store and past the greeter at 5:12 p.m. as he heads straight toward the computer merchandise. A couple of minutes later, the suspect approaches Sobol to ask for his assistance with the computers. He tries to get Sobol to leave his post at the entrance of the store, but Sobol refuses. The suspect returns to the computer section and reappears in the video minutes later as he walks past Sobol holding a computer box in each hand. Sobol, who was checking a customer’s receipt, notices the suspect and begins to run after him, but the suspect pushed Sobol to the ground and continued to run out of the store. Another witness chases after the suspect, who dropped the computers outside the store, and continued running across Hillsboro Blvd. The witness continued to give chase until the suspect turned around and lifted up his shirt revealing something silver in color.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies set up a perimeter and canvassed the area, but the suspect was not located.
Coral Springs Fire Rescue transported Sobol to Northwest Medical Center, where he was treated for minor scratches and a broken rib and then released.
The suspect is described as a Latin or black male, in his 20s, with facial hair. He’s about 5’9” tall, weighs approximately 160 lbs., and was last seen wearing a gray t-shirt, blue basketball shorts and red and black shoes.
Anyone with information is asked to contact BSO Robbery Detective Armando Enrique at 954-321-4270 or Crime Stoppers, anonymously, at 954-493-TIPS or www.browardcrimestoppers.org. A reward of up to $1,000 is available for information leading to an arrest.
MEDIA NOTE: A very clear video of the incident is posted online at www.sheriff.org.
- INVESTIGATORS: Det. Enrique, RID Robbery; Parkland
- THIS REPORT BY: Keyla Concepción/PIO 11/18/09 1630
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