South Surrey business owner Bryan Ayres said he’s frustrated by the latest break-in to his Campbell Heights audio/video store – but he’s not about to throw in the towel.
“I’ll never give up,” Ayres said Tuesday, less than 48 hours after a trio of thieves triggered the alarm at his 3425 189 St. store and made off with around $15,000 worth of product.
“I’ll just keep making it better.”
Ayres has owned Ayreborn Audio/Video Inc. with his wife Akane since 2005. They relocated the business from the 3000-block of King George Boulevard a year ago.
Sunday, at approximately 9:45 p.m., culprits smashed the glass front door and went through the lobby, showroom and warehouse, making off with multiple high-end headphones, stereos and speakers.
Security-camera footage Ayres posted to YouTube shows three masked males – one wearing a baseball cap backwards, and two in hoodies bearing distinctive graphics – running through, grabbing and stacking boxes, then loading the loot into a waiting van.
Ayres estimates the crime was carried out over a period of about eight minutes. He also believes that the trio who breached the store had an accomplice, as the video shows a second vehicle, a sedan, follow the van as it leaves the gated parking lot.
“There’s a whole operation,” Ayres told Peace Arch News. “They were fully prepared and ready to go.
“You could see them (on the video) grabbing boxes and putting them back. They were hand-selecting stuff.”
Ayres said police were on the scene within about 12 minutes of receiving the verified alarm, and that they brought in a canine unit to assist in the investigation.
It marked the second time in a week that the business was targeted, Ayres noted.
“A week ago, there was guys stealing gas from the vehicles. All our company vehicles got emptied out.”
Prior to that, “we lost licence plates twice,” he said, citing an incident “a few months ago.”
The store’s first break-in was three years ago, at its former location.
READ MORE: South Surrey audio-video business targeted
Ayres said he started a YouTube channel for the security-camera footage in an effort to get the word out about the crimes.
“I think the public should know,” he said. “I want people to see what’s going on and the extent of what we’re dealing with.”
Despite the frustration of the incidents, Ayres said each one only drives him to further heighten his security measures.
“I’m very frustrated and sad that people have to do these kind of things to live,” he said.
“I take the attitude that… it’s not if somebody breaks in, it’s when. It’s inevitable. We have a huge target on our back.”
Ayres said police now have five files open involving his business.
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Elenore Sturko said Wednesday morning that investigators are reviewing the security-camera video.
Anyone with information on the break-in is asked to contact police at 604-599-0502.
