NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Days before Christmas, IC Toys Nashville experienced a break-in, with suspects taking items worth thousands of dollars.
A burglar broke into the shop Sunday around 1 a.m. The store is typically a one-stop shop for vintage toys with popular themes like Star Wars and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Someone came up to the door with a sledgehammer, smashed in the glass, and came running around with his garbage bag. [That person] smashed a few cases and took some things out of them," said owner Andrea Havens.
Surveillance video showed the thief smashing through the store.
"There was glass everywhere. There was glass all outside and all over the carpet by the door all over here. I mean, it went all the way up to the register," said Havens.
Havens said she's still trying to figure out what was stolen.
"We're missing some vintage carded figures, Star Wars figures, some comic books [and] some autographs," Havens said. "We had a signed Carrie Fisher autograph in this case. Unfortunately, she's no longer with us. So, that one's no longer replaceable."
The thief didn't walk out with the most expensive items, but the cost still weighs heavy on this small business. Havens estimates the value is between $25,000 and $50,000.
Havens and her husband got the door repaired, cleaned up the glass and opened the store the next day.
They said they're not going to let this break-in bring them down.
"There's no reason to dampen anyone's spirits at the holidays. Just clean up and keep on going forward," she said.
But the owners of the store believe this is the same suspect from another break on Sunday morning — one that took place at a classic violin shop.
Both suspects are carrying a sledgehammer and trash bag, and wearing similar clothes.
So far, police have not confirmed if the break-ins are related.
