San Jose flower shop owners asking public for help to identify thieves who stole $10k worth of valuables from shop

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Deep into the holiday rush, business owners Efrain Escalante and Jose Ibarra are out at least $10,000 after their flower shop, Apis Floral, was hit by thieves.

Caught on security camera, footage shows two people entering their back door and the woman walking away with a flower urn in her hands.

Escalante says that urn is a valuable family heirloom belonging to one of his clients.

The theft happened early Friday morning, Dec. 6. Escalante's computer, files and other materials were also stolen from his office.

"We're talking about 4:40 a.m. when they got here, they were able to get into the space, they went only straight to my office," said Escalante.

The owners say they've filed a police report, but it's their Facebook community that's been more helpful with tips and leads.

"Everyone is texting me," Escalante said. "We got a hint of their possible names."

You can look at photos on comments on Apis Floral's Facebook page.

Escalante says he might know the two people in the video and that he's spotted them in the store before. He worries for the Willow Glen complex that he's in, which is also full of independent businesses.

In October, their neighbor Good Karma Bikes, a non-profit, was hit twice by theft. We spotted broken glass in the parking lot. Esclante added that the there's also been a number of car break-ins and vandalism just in last year.

"I think people are tired of just doing the reports to the police because no one is doing anything," he said.

Police issued this statement:

"On Friday, Dec. 6, 2019, at about 4:39 a.m., a burglary occurred in the 400 block of Lincoln Avenue in San Jose. The unknown adult white male and adult white female suspects entered the building, stole property, and fled the scene. The suspects have not been identified or apprehended."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Jose Police Department's Burglary Unit at 408-277-4401.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 408-947-7867.