NEW YORK – Expensive furs worth millions of dollars were stolen from designer Dennis Basso’s New York City store on Christmas Eve.

Three thieves smashed into the store at 825 Madison Avenue using a large granite stone. Achilleas Georgiades, one of the three owners, who are all brothers, spoke exclusively with The National Herald, relaying his account of the events as they occurred:

“On Christmas Eve at 5AM TJ Security called me and told me that there were five alarms. They called me again after a little while and told me that I had to come down to the store because something had happened. I came down I found the door broken, glass everywhere, and many hangers on the floor. They broke into the store and stole the most expensive items that we had.”

Georgiades said he had no idea how many pieces were stolen: “We are in process of counting now, but we know for sure without a complete accounting that they have taken about 20 pieces that were the most unique pieces.”

The estimated value of the stolen items, without a full inventory, is “in the millions,” Georgiades said, “but I don’t know exactly at this moment.” All of the furs at the Manhattan store are handmade in New York.

The store video shows three individuals who “entered the store and grabbed the items. One of them dropped some coats on the floor and then pulled a bag from his pocket and put them in.”

Georgiades explained that the police took fingerprints but had not identified the thieves.

“Now they are investigating the videos and cameras from everywhere, the stores, and the traffic lights, everywhere, to see what happened.”

As for the insurance, “we don’t know how much it covers,” Georgiades said.

Besides the Manhattan store, the Georgiades Brothers also have one in Aspen, Colorado and at Harrods in London, England. They started their company about 30 years ago.

“Our business is good,” Georgiades said, “but the important thing now is that the Dennis Basso store has been damaged. In all their years in business, the Georgiadeses have never experienced anything like this.

“When you come and find your store in that terrible condition, when they steal your property, it is difficult, of course,” he said.