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Jewelry Crime Report: Law Enforcement Arrests Dangerous Robbers

Posted by Logan Moore on

2017.01.03 Jewelry Crime map.png

Crime Reported No Crime Reported

Thanks to the collaboration between the Jewelers Security Alliance and several law enforcement agencies, two suspects were arrested shortly after they committed a deadly armed robbery in Mississippi.

Three days after a robbery in Jackson, Miss., a male and female suspect were arrested in Kansas after their vehicle was spotted. The description of their red Dodge Charger was consistent with reports from the crime they just committed, as well as a burglary of a jewelry store also in Mississippi.

JSA's Daily Blog features multiple other crimes that occured in various regions of the country, including another robbery that was foiled because the showcase collapsed on the merchandise that was targeted. Nine thefts and one other robbery are all shared in this jewelry crime report.

Click on the links below to learn more about each crime and tips for prevention.

When Where What
Saturday, December 24 Lancaster, PA Grab-and-Run Theft
Saturday, December 17 Jackson, MS Armed Robbery
Thursday, December 15 Corte Madera, CA Smash-and-Grab Robbery
Monday, December 12 St. Louis, MO Grab-and-Run Theft
Sunday, December 11 Aventura, FL Switch Theft
Friday, December 9 Huntsville, AL Grab-and-Run Theft
Wednesday, December 7 Vacaville, CA Grab-and-Run Theft
Wednesday, December 7 New Port Richey, FL Grab-and-Run Theft
Tuesday, December 6 Plano, TX Switch Theft
Sunday, December 4 Pittsburgh, PA Distraction Theft
Saturday, December 3 Charleston, WV Distraction Theft
Thursday, December 1 Newark, NJ Armed Robbery

 

When Where What
Saturday, December 24 Lancaster, PA Grab-and-Run Theft
Crime Description
On 12/24/16, at approximately 5:35 p.m., a male and female suspect requested to look at rings. While in possession of one ring, one of the suspects requested to look at less expensive rings. When the sales associate turned her head to check the prices, the suspects fled from the store.

The suspects were described as Hispanic and in their mid 20s.

If you have any information regarding the identity of these suspects, please contact Lancaster Police at 717-735-3300.

 


Tip!

 Return each item to its showcase and lock the showcase before starting another task

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When Where What
Saturday, December 17 Jackson, MS Armed Robbery
Crime Description
On 12/17/16, three elderly men were shot and killed during a robbery of a pawn shop specializing in jewelry and coin merchandise. At approximately 8:50 p.m., the Jackson Police Department responded to a report of a shooting, where three victims were pronounced dead on the scene, one of which was the owner.

The suspects stole high end jewelry and surveillance equipment and fled in a red Dodge Charger.

On 12/20/16, a male and female suspect were arrested in Junction City, KS. The two suspects have been charged with the homicide of the three pawn shop employees.

According to the Geary County Sheriff's Department in Junction, KS; deputies initiated a traffic stop for a red Dodge Charger with no registration on Interstate 70. The vehicle also matched the description of what was used in a burglary of a jewelry store in Pascagoula, MS. The driver of the vehicle sped off and authorities pursued the vehicle on a road leading to a dead end, where the driver ended up crashing. Deputies searched the surrounding area and found the suspect hiding in the backseat of another vehicle. 

 


Tip!

 Form or join a crime prevention network to help prevent crimes and bring criminals to justice

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When Where What
Thurday, December 15 Corte Madera, CA Smash-and-Grab Robbery
Crime Description
On 12/15/16, at approximately 12:20 p.m., three subjects attempted to commit a gunpoint smash and grab. One of the suspects brandished a gun, while the other two men wore hoodies and surgical masks. They ordered everyone to get on the ground and one of the suspects smashed a display case. The suspects did not get any jewelry because the display case fell on top of the merchandise they sought.

If you have any information regarding the identities of these individuals, please contact the Jewelers Security Alliance at 212-687-0328.

 


Tip!

 Proper jewelry showcase construction can help prevent smash-and-grabs

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When Where What
Monday, December 12 St. Louis, MO Grab-and-Run Theft
Crime Description
On 12/12/16, at approximately 6:00 p.m., a suspect inquired about earrings. He wanted to see earrings he had viewed previously, so sales associate removed a pair of earrings from the case. The suspect then took one of the earrings and tried it on. As he had one earring in his ear, he grabbed the other and fled from the store.

The suspect was described as a Black male in his early 20’s. He is 5’5” tall and had an afro style haircut. He was last seen wearing black sweat pants with a white stripe down each leg.

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Richmond Heights Police Department at 314-645-3000.

 


Tip!

Ask for a photo I.D. before showing items to discourage potential criminal (and still only show one item at a time)

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When Where What
Sunday, December 11 Aventura, FL Switch Theft
Crime Description
On 12/11/16, at approximately 2:35p.m., a male suspect asked to see solitaire earrings. The sales associate showed him a pair of earrings. The suspect tried the earrings on and then attempted to return them to the sales associate.

The associate realized the earrings she was given back were not the same earrings she gave the suspect. She asked the suspect to return the original earrings. At that point, a couple came up to the sales associate and began asking her questions. The suspect used this opportunity to leave with the jewelry.

The suspect was described as a 38-year-old dark skinned Hispanic male. He is 5’5” tall, weighs 170 pounds, and was last seen wearing a dark baseball cap, black pants and a white striped shirt.

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Aventura Police Department at 305-466-8989.

 


Tip!

Meet and greet each customer and only assist one customer at a time 

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When Where What
Friday, December 9 Huntsville, AL Grab-and-Run Theft
Crime Description
On 12/9/16, at approximately 2:10 p.m., a suspect inquired about gold chains. He stated that he wanted to try on a chain and the sales associate placed the chain around his neck. At that point, the suspect said he would also like to see a bracelet and the sales associate then gave him a bracelet. The suspect then ran from the store.

He was described as a Black male in his late 20’s. He was last seen wearing a burgundy plaid shirt, carhart jacket and baseball cap. The suspect also has a tattoo on the left side of his neck that says “Truly Blessed.”

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Huntsville Police Department at 256-427-7800.

 


Tip!

Even if the merchandise is different, don't allow customers to view other pieces until they have returned the previous ones 

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When Where What
Wednesday, December 7 Vacaville, CA Grab-and-Run Theft
Crime Description
On 12/7/16, at approximately 6:50 p.m., a suspect asked to see watches. He said the watch would be for his father. After the suspect tried on watches, he took one watch and ran from the store.

The suspect was described as a 20-year-old Filipino male. He weighs 140 lbs. and is 5’5” tall and has dark brown hair and green eyes.

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Vacaville Police Department at 707-449-5200.

 


Tip!

Use code words to help signal other associates that you're involved with a suspicious incident 

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When Where What
Wednesday, December 7 New Port Richey, FL Grab-and-Run Theft
Crime Description
On 12/7/16, at approximately 11:08 a.m., a male subject inquired about engagement rings. He stated he was going to spend a couple thousand dollars. The sales associate showed the suspect princess cut and round cut rings. The suspect then asked if he could compare each cut. As soon as the suspect was given both rings in his hand, he fled from the store.

The suspect was described as a black or Hispanic male. He is in his mid to late 30s and was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and dark colored shorts.

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at 727-847-5878.

 


Tip!

Help customers compare items by having sales associates put them on if more than one is being shown 

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When Where What
Tuesday, December 6 Plano, TX Switch Theft
Crime Description
On 12/6/16, at approximately 8:15 p.m., a suspect inquired about solitaire rings. The sales associate showed the suspect a ring. The suspect then asked to see a second ring after he returned the first. After he was shown the item, the suspect returned it and said he needed to exit to go to the restroom and that he would be right back. The suspect then walked out of the store. The sales associate realized the tag on the ring the suspect returned was different than the store’s price tag. The suspect returned a CZ ring.

The suspect was described as a 35-year-old male. He is 5’2” tall and weighs 170 lbs. He wore a black cap with a white design. He also wore black jeans and a black jacket. He has acne scars and used the name Tony.

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Plano Police Department at 972-941-7900.

 


Tip!

Loupe every item after being handled by a customer 

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When Where What
Sunday, December 4 Pittsburgh, PA Distraction Theft
Crime Description
On 12/4/16, at approximately 4:30 p.m., a male suspect walked around the store for about 10 minutes and then met with a female suspect at the jewelry counter. The suspects stood at the counter for five minutes. The sales associate was occupied with another customer for 10 minutes, when he realized the couple left the store. He later found that a tray containing 40 rings was missing from an unlocked case.

The female suspect is dark skinned and possibly Middle Eastern. She is 5’4” tall and has a thin build. She was last seen wearing a long coat. The man was described as a white male with pale skin. He is approximately 45-years-old and is 5’10” tall. He weighs 230 pounds and was last seen wearing a light coat.

If you have any information regarding the identities of these suspects, please contact Detective Jeffrey Heidenreich of the Mt. Lebanon Police Department at 412-343-4094.

 


Tip!

Hire a security guard to help spot suspicious incidents 

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When Where What
Saturday, December 3 Charleston, WV Distraction Theft
Crime Description
A sales associate placed a chain on the counter for the suspect to see. The suspect then asked to compare it to another piece. The sales associate turned her back to get another chain and when she returned to the suspect, the chain on the counter was missing.

When the sales associate asked him to return the chain, he said he did not have it. He stated that he already gave it back and that he had too much money to steal from the store. The suspect then said he would be back and then walked off. He never returned.

The suspect was described as a black male in his late 20’s. He is 6’0 tall and has a thin build. He wore a 49ers beanie cap and a black hoodie. He also wore red pants and had a gold grill on his upper teeth. His head was tattooed to look like hair.

If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Charleston Police Department at 304-348-6400.

 


Tip!

Never turn your back to a customer when merchandise is present

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When Where What
Thursday, December 1 New York, NY Armed Robbery
Crime Description
On 12/1/16, a male suspect committed a gunpoint robbery and then carjacked a woman and fled.

The suspect asked to see Cuban gold chains. After the sales associate presented the chains, the suspect brandished a gun and ordered the associate to put items into his bag. After the suspect took the bag containing chains, he fled from the store and fired a shot at the owner of the store, who tried chasing him.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic male. He may have a tattoo of flames on his wrist. If you have any information regarding the identity of this individual, please contact the Newark Police at 877-695-8477.

 


Tip!

Don't resist during a robbery and don't engage in pursuit of the suspect after

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Jewelers Mutual was founded in 1913 by a group of Wisconsin jewelers to meet their unique insurance needs. Later, consumers began putting their trust in Jewelers Mutual to protect their jewelry and the special memories each piece holds. Today, Jewelers Mutual continues to support and move the industry forward by listening to jewelers and consumers and offering products and services to meet their evolving needs. Beyond insurance, Jewelers Mutual’s powerful suite of innovative solutions and digital technology offerings help jewelers strengthen and grow their businesses, mitigate risk, and bring them closer to their customers. The Group insurers’ strong financial position is reflected in their 38 consecutive “A+ Superior” ratings from AM Best Company, as of November 2024. Policyholders of the Group insurers are members of Jewelers Mutual Holding Company. Jewelers Mutual is headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, with other Group offices in Dallas, Texas, Miami, Florida and Raleigh, North Carolina. To learn more, visit JewelersMutual.com.

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