Alec Bradley Cigars’ warehouse was the target of a break in and burglary early on the morning of Saturday, September 7th, with the team of criminals making off with cases of cigars valued at approximately $300,000 at the wholesale level. Among the items taken were bundles of Alec Bradley Prensado, as well as boxes of Nica Puro, Black Market and Alec Bradley Connecticut.

With such a significant amount of product stolen, the company has said it will more than likely affect its ability to supply retail stores with cigars in the immediate future.

According to a report filed with the Hollywood, Fla. police department, the warehouse’s alarm had been disabled, and it was noted that the alarm had recently undergone repair. There was also an attempt to block or disable at least one of the cameras in the facility. The thieves entered through the roof of the building, but damage was also found to doors which appeared to be pried open.

While inside, the thieves used forklifts to move pallets of cigars to a stolen truck waiting near one of the exits of the facility.

The company has released photos from their security cameras of the criminals:

Alec Bradley break in 1

Alec Bradley break in 2

The company believes the cigars are bound for the northeastern part of the country or parts of Florida, and has asked consumers and retailers to be on the lookout for anyone trying to unload the stolen merchandise. If you think you may be dealing with someone trying to sell the stolen cigars, you are asked to contact local law enforcement.

This is the second such burglary in recent months, as Florida Distributors, Inc., based in Tamarac, had their warehouse broken into on July 26. The criminals in that break-in also entered through the roof of the facility and made off with approximately 700 cases of Dutch Masters cigars, valued around $250,000. They have yet to be caught.

Update (Sept. 18, 2013) — A representative from Alec Bradley Cigars told halfwheel that they have received reports of a couple of men in the northeastern US trying to sell what they believe are the stolen cigars. They are driving a black SUV with Florida license plates. 

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.