Suspects wanted in smash-and-grab burglary at luxury boutique in Haddonfield
HADDONFIELD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Police in Haddonfield, New Jersey are investigating an early morning burglary at Caroline's Luxuries on Kings Highway.
Police say it happened around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday.
The business is directly across the street from the borough municipal building, which also houses the police department.
Surveillance video shows burglars breaking through the front window. Once inside, one man appears to use a sledgehammer to smash glass cases, stealing thousands in luxury goods. Belts and jewelry were taken, but it was mostly high-end handbags that were targeted, brands like Chanel & Hermes, according to the owner of the luxury goods boutique consignment shop, Karolina Yosef.
She's hopeful the burglars will be caught and held accountable.
On Friday, Yosef hadn't arrived at a dollar amount to describe the loss but said some of the items cost between $8,000 and $10,000 each.
"It's just breaking my heart that we have to deal with something like that. We are still counting the damages. We are currently at about 70 items taken," Yosef said.
It's just the latest incident in Haddonfield causing residents alarm.
"I was shocked," said Jackie Digdo who lives nearby. "I know that there have been some recent break-ins of homes so people are a little bit more on high alert right now."
Earlier in the week, members of the community group "Haddonfield Safe" went before the borough council, asking for more security after a rash of home break-ins in recent months. Some homes had been burglarized while occupied and some families had vehicles stolen.
SEE ALSO: Rattled Haddonfield residents form safety group after recent break-ins
"So many people, so many residents, so many business owners reached out to me yesterday and today and this morning my phone is blowing up," Yosef said.
Haddonfield Safe leader Marc Rubino says the burglary at Caroline's Luxuries further demonstrates their plight.
"The first reaction is always for the victims. The second reaction is how and why. This speaks to our greater mission here to make this town safer," Rubino said. "We have to come together and fight back."
Yosef said this is the second time her business has been burglarized since she opened in 2017. The first time was in November 2023.
"I could not believe that it's happened again to me," Yosef said.
After the first break-in, Yosef hired security during business hours, installed a metal door with bars, and replaced her front window with thick, layered, reinforced glass.
"Our glass had layers of special protection that is not breaking. That's why they basically did what they did, they were poking it in different places and then the whole piece just came out as one piece," Yosef said.
She's now planning to spend more money to even further beef up security measures.
So far, police have released limited information but said their investigation is "very active."
Caroline's Luxuries was back open Friday with a boarded-up window. Yosef said she loves having a business in Haddonfield but echoed similar calls from that borough council meeting earlier in the week.
"You have to protect the business owners. You have to protect the residents. This should not be happening," Yosef said.
If you have any information that could be helpful in the investigation, call Haddonfield police.
