EXCLUSIVE: Large drone, equipment stolen from Corona production business

CORONA, Calif. (KABC) -- In an Eyewitness News Exclusive, thieves make off with a wheelbarrow full of valuable merchandise from a Corona business that makes custom drones. The burglary was caught on surveillance video, but the suspects remain on the loose.

A thief spent nearly two hours peeking through the window before breaking in.

Surveillance video from 3:30 a.m. Tuesday shows someone throwing a large rock through the glass door of this business, then barging in with a wheelbarrow.

The thief immediately begins loading it up with anything in sight.

"Just to show up to work in the morning and have that all kind of smashed to pieces, literally and figuratively, and see it all gone is extremely frustrating," said Connor Wise, PMG Companies.

The thief broke into PMG Companies in Corona, a developer and manufacturer of custom drones ranging from personal use to high-end professional filmmaking.

After loading up, the thief breaks down the other door, then leaves. Eight minutes later, the thief comes back for the biggest drone. After fumbling with it for several minutes, the suspect decides to just carry it out.

The owners estimate a loss of about half a million dollars and countless man hours.

The large drone alone took eight months of work.

"Twenty-two-inch octocopter that we just released within the last few weeks, it's really top of the line in the market," said Wise.

Officers spent the afternoon looking for evidence and actually found the damaged octocopter in a nearby parking lot.

Despite added security measures, this is the third time this year burglars have hit this business.

Employees say they won't let the crime stop them from their work.

"We have to rebuild," said Wise. "We have to push forward. We have to do everything we can to be a stronger company as a result of this and make sure it doesn't happen again."

The company put up plywood Tuesday to cover the broken door.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Corona Police at (951) 736-2334.