IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) - Surveillance video shows burglars breaking into an Imperial Beach flower shop, with most of the shop’s electronics vanishing in the heist.
At Lilylu Flowers, there is a mix of beauty, and something, not so pretty.
“She says, ‘Hey, rush over here. Everything’s gone,’” said owner Anylu Parra-Bailey.
Parra-Bailey got the frantic call from an employee Monday morning.
Burglars had cleaned out the electronics, including their payment systems and printers, along with a cash box and an old cash register. The total loss was more than $10,000.
“Heartbroken, violated,” said Parra-Bailey, choking back tears.
Surveillance video showed a man with a dog and skateboard, walking by the shop on Saturday night.
That same night, a man wearing the same shirt and another man biked into the area. Not long after, the same men, after somehow defeating the door, slammed it open and walked in.
The intruders ripped out the security camera box and tossed it. So, the security cameras weren't working when it's believed the burglars returned the next night.
“My initial thought was that it was over,” said Parra-Bailey.
After opening up the shop in 2019, Parra-Bailey says they barely survived the pandemic, only to suffer a rain-soaked flood in late 2021.
The road back was not easy.
“I made a lot of sacrifices through the years,” said a tearful Parra-Bailey.
Due to the flood, her insurance dropped her, and she was searching for insurance when the break-in happened.
Though feeling defeated after the break-in, Parra-Bailey vows to carry on.
“We do everything with pride, take care of clients and our community. We have a chance to make pieces that make a difference in people’s lives. That’s enough reason to continue,” she said.
The shop reopened Wednesday with some stopgap measures in place for payments.
A fundraiser is planned and a Gofundme campaign has been started to help the shop replace the equipment.
Anyone with information on the case asked to the Imperial Beach Sheriff’s Substation at 619-498-2400 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
