Boris the Bandit Forces Pompano GameStop to Close

It seems to have worked for Boris the Bandit -- the fellow who robbed the GameStop outlet at 2223 SW 22nd St. in Pompano Beach, twice in the past 12 months and most recently on November 6.

We cannot be absolutely certain the same man was behind both crimes, as the first robbery was committed by a man in a mask, while the second was committed by a fellow, illustrated at left, in a Russian-looking hat. (The nickname, originated by the Broward Sheriff's Office, comes from the hat. The robber's name is probably not Boris.)

But the M.O. of both crimes was suspiciously similar. On
both occasions, the criminal wielded a handgun. On both occasions, he disabled the security cameras and bound a manager's hands with zip-ties. On both occasions, he made off with  thousands of dollars in merchandise and register cash. Now, after two robberies in a year -- both, curiously, just before the holiday season -- the burglarized GameStop has shut its doors.

New Times dialed another GameStop location and spoke with a manager who requested not to be named. "Too many things happened at that store," the manager said. "It was just too much. If somebody was going to keep targeting it, it was just too much of a risk. They closed down last week."

According to the manager, the employees of the GameStop have been redirected to other stores.