Upstate CollectibleZ burglarized twice in one day

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -Just hours after Upstate CollectibleZ closed for the day last Saturday the store was broken into. Not once, but twice. Security cameras show the suspects leaving with a shopping cart full of stolen toys.

Matthew and Lynnae Zampella told NEWS10's Anthony Krolikowski that they closed the store on a slow, Saturday afternoon. But when Sunday morning came, the two found shelves empty and even missing.

"I went over to the graded comic section and turned on the light and it was completely empty. And then she went over to the cash drawer and was like, 'Honey, there's no money in the drawer anymore.' And I was like, 'Woah,'" recalled Matthew Zampella, Owner of Upstate CollectibleZ.

More than $15,000 in collectibles were taken. Matthew says the burglars first broke in around 4 p.m. through the Berkshire Center. "This door opens out because it's a fire exit. This other door locks from the inside and they chiseled it with something and broke in."

And then at 10 p.m., the burglars came back to steal for another three hours. The Zampella's say their security was down at the time and the adjacent business didn't have footage. Riverfront Center cameras captured evidence.

"We've never seen them in the store before to my knowledge, to my employee's knowledge. In the footage, you'll see them scoping out the mall in the afternoon, shaking doors."

The burglary hurts Upstate CollectibleZ's bottom line but shelves are restocked and ready for the holiday season. Matthew and Lynnae will still be donating to the local Toys For Tots. "Anytime a friend or a customer has an issue, we work with them. We would do anything and everything we can to work with them, to help them," explained Lynnae.

This burglary is an active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Amsterdam Police Department at 518-842-1100 or infopd@amsterdampd.com. There are three suspects in the case.