Valenica

Santa Clarita Valley, CA- $8,900 Rolex watch reported stolen from Town Center business  

by Crime SuspectsDaily Blogdistraction theft

Santa Clarita Valley, CA– A Rolex watch valued at $8,900 was reported stolen from a local business inside the Valencia Town Center mall on Thursday, according to the business owner and officials with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

The robbery reportedly occurred just 40 minutes after Alin, the owner of Fast Fix Jewelry and Watch Repairs store, put the 1975 stainless steel Rolex up on display for a possible customer to come and view, she said. Alin declined to provide her last name out of concern for her safety.

Two men and a woman entered the jewelry store on Thursday and employees approached the individuals to ask if they needed assistance. The three stated they were together looking to purchase an item to give as a gift, she said.

As three employees began to show them jewelry pieces they were “going back and forth, back and forth. They were there for quite some time,” she said, calculating they spent 20 minutes in the vicinity with no interest in purchasing anything.

When Alin left the area for a brief moment, that’s when one of the men, who she described to be in his 40’s wearing a hat and jacket, leaned over the counter and grabbed a green box that contained the watch.

According to Ring video footage, the man then hid the box inside his jacket and continued to roam the store for a few more minutes before he and the other two people left, Alin said.

Employees of the family-owned business and Alin herself were unaware of the stolen watch until Friday afternoon after she searched her inventory to see if it was misplaced, she said.

She contacted deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at approximately 4 p.m. to file a police report.

Deputy Villalobos, a spokeswoman with the station who declined to provide her first name, confirmed on Saturday morning that deputies responded to the mall to investigate the report of a stolen watch. She also stated no arrests were made in connection with the alleged theft.

Additional information could not be provided by Watch Sgt. Johnny Gillespie as he did not have access to the police report on Saturday.

Alin stated the deputy who came to take the report told her that with her Ring camera footage, and the mall’s security footage, they were onto a good lead to identify the suspects.

This isn’t the first time her business has fallen victim to grand theft, she said, and “my frustration is, it’s not fair to us. This is my bread and butter, we’re family here,” she said. She also felt taken advantage of but was also filled with gratitude that no one was hurt during the incident.

“I’m grateful they didn’t have a gun or hurt any of my employees. The items are replaceable,” Alin said as her voice broke. “I hate when people say it’s an inside job. My insurance is $10,000, and this watch was not $10,000, so it’s not worth it.”

To view the article and video provided by ‘The Signal’ News feed, click here.

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these criminals, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

monterey

Monterey, CA- Caught on Camera: Monterey jeweler loses $20,000 in Valentine’s Day theft.

by Crime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blogdistraction theft

MONTEREY, Calif. – The owner of a jewelry store in downtown Monterey says he lost $20,000 after a pair stole from him on Valentine’s Day without him even knowing.

“It’s a kind of day you’re thinking about romance and love and business, good business because it’s Valentine’s Day. And you don’t expect something like this,” said Steve Saunders, owner if Steve Saunders Master Jeweler.

Saunders shows the moments it all supposedly went down on surveillance video, pointing out two people as the thieves.

“Ding! Hello! Hello!” the video captures the man and woman entering the store.

The video shows the pair asking for multiple high-priced items, and Saunders is seen running around to pull out jewelry.

“My problem is I was so excited about making a big sale that’s all I could think about,” Saunders said.

The pair asked Saunders to put the merchandise in a jewelry box and wrap it in a plastic bag, which he did.

The customers put down a $200 deposit before leaving to go to the bank to withdraw more.

“How could something like that happen?” asked reporter Christian Balderas.

“Sleight of hand,” Saunders replied.

Saunders put the jewelry box and the bag in the safe, but the couple never returned, leading Saunders to believe something was wrong.

“I went to look in the safe and as soon as I picked up the white bag, my heart sank because I could tell immediately now that I’m paying attention that the box was empty,” Saunders said.

The Monterey Police Department says they are investigating.

“What would you say to them if they’re watching?” asked Balderas.

“I’m going to find you,” Saunders said.

The store owner, Steve Saunders, says he is offering a reward of $1,000 for any information that leads to their arrest.

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these suspects, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

Wisconsin

West Allis, WI- pawn shop jewelry theft; 2 men from out of state ARRESTED!

by ArrestsCrime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blogdistraction theft

West Allis, WI- More than $30,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from a West Allis pawn shop.
Two men – one from New York, the other from Washington – are charged with theft.
Court filings said the investigation involved authorities in Illinois and Indiana. Now, two men from opposite ends of the country are charged with theft in Milwaukee County.

Court records identified 23-year-old Procoror Muntean and 26-year-old Retan Varga. Muntean is from Queens Village, New York. Varga is from Kent, Washington. Both men are yet to appear in court on the charges.

West Allis police were called to Pawn America, at 76th and Lincoln, on Feb. 10. According to a criminal complaint, an employee told police that two men came in and asked to see some items from the jewelry case.

Prosecutors said those men, since identified as Muntean and Varga, took several items to the cash registers where one of them asked about some shoes. When the employee went over to the shoes, the men said they needed to get $10,000 to buy the jewelry and then left the store.

Approximately 15 minutes later, court filings said the employee noticed the jewelry he showed the men was missing. The items totaled more than $30,000.

The day after the theft, court filings said a detective from Illinois contacted West Allis police to say one of the Pawn America theft suspects had stolen a watch worth $50,000 from a store there. Investigators then learned Muntean and Varga had been stopped in Indiana, where Muntean was taken into custody for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. In custody there, he admitted to stealing the watch in Illinois.

West Allis police reviewed photos of Muntean and Varga provided by authorities in Illinois. Comparing those photos to surveillance video from Pawn America, the complaint states detectives identified the suspects as Muntean and Varga. Pursuant to a search warrant, Indiana State Police searched the vehicle and found multiple pieces of jewelry believed to have been stolen from Pawn America.

Court filings also noted that a Shorewood police detective contacted West Allis police on Feb. 12. The detective said Muntean and Varga were in a separate Feb. 10 theft in which an $8,000 bracelet was stolen from a jeweler. At this time, the men are not charged with theft from that jewelry.

Article provided by Fox 6 News, click here to view article.

nypd7

New York, NY- NYPD Hunts for Suspects in $163K Jewelry Heist Spree in Manhattan and Queens.

by Crime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blogdistraction theft

New York, NY– New York City’s NYPD is actively searching for two individuals connected to a series of daring robberies involving over $163,000 in stolen jewelry. These incidents spanned across Manhattan and Queens, as reported by both Gothamist and SILive. In a bold move on Sept. 20, two culprits managed to distract a UPS driver in Manhattan’s Chinatown before making off with a high-value jewelry haul. “The individuals fled on foot and no injuries were reported,” SILive details.

Earlier in the month, on Sept. 12, a 33-year-old man became another one of their targets while he was focused on changing a flat tire. According to a statement obtained by Gothamist, a bag containing jewelry was skillfully taken from his car. In an to similarly orchestrate a theft in Queens just hours later, the suspects lured a woman away from her car under the pretense of a tire issue and then absconded with a package from her vehicle.

The NYPD has made efforts to involve the community in their pursuit for justice by releasing surveillance images of the suspects and urging anyone with information to step forward. These concerned citizens can anonymously contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline, appealing for Spanish speakers as well, and submit tips online.

With these crimes being non-violent and the criminals yet to be apprehended, there’s a palpable concern that they may potentially strike again. Anyone with relevant information is strongly encouraged to reach out to the authorities. “All calls are strictly confidential,” insists SILive, highlighting the NYPD’s commitment to safeguarding the identity of those who decide to assist in the investigation. The community’s cooperation is essential as the NYPD continues to aggressively pursue leads in this case.

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these two suspects, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these suspects, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

3 subjects suspected of stealing from store

WILMINGTON, DE- THEFT FROM JEWELRY STORE

by Daily Blogdistraction theft

Wilmington, DE– On December 17th, 2024, at the Concord Mall in Wilmington, DE, 3 unknown suspects entered a jewelry store and browsed merchandise looking at various items through the showcase. All employees were busy assisting other customers. After a period of time when all guests had left the store, management had noticed that 3 pieces were missing. A later review of video revealed that the items were taken by the 3 male suspects. They then left the store in an unknown direction. Delaware State Police were called and made a report.

Suspect(s) Description:

Suspect 1 – White or Spanish male, mid 20s, about 5’9” with a thin build, thin goatee beard and mustache, wearing a gray Puma hoodie and dark ball cap.

Suspect 2 – White or Spanish male, mid 20s, about 5’8” with a thin build, wearing a black and white Adidas outfit, white Adidas sneakers and dark ball cap.

Suspect 3 – White or Spanish male, mid to late 20s, about 5’9” with medium build, thin beard and mustache, wearing a dark colored jogging outfit.

If you have any information regarding this subject, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

sab diego2

San Diego, California – Suspect Sought in Distraction Theft of high value watch.

by Crime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blogdistraction theft

San Diego, CA- On November 21, 2024, a male customer entered a jewelry store and began browsing through the selection of jewelry and watches. The suspect selected two items for potential purchase: a high value 18K yellow gold watch and a men’s 14K yellow gold nugget-style ring with diamonds. The suspect agreed to a purchase the items with a cash deposit of $500.00 and a wire transfer for the remainder. The items were placed in separate boxes, and the customer indicated that he would wire the remaining balance of the purchase price to the business account. While the employee was in the process of preparing the bank wire instructions for him, the customer began to handle the watch box and covered his hand with the polishing cloth from the watch box, discreetly removed the watch, and closed the box. He then requested that both the watch and the ring be stored inside our safe for safekeeping until the payment was received. It was discovered at a later date after the wire transfer did not arrive and that the watch was missing.

If you have any information regarding this subject, please contact the Jewelers Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

JSA Logo

Little Rock, AR- GRAB AND RUN.

by Crime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blogdistraction theft

Little Rock, AR– On November 26, 2024, at the Outlets of Little Rock, a single gold curb link chain, valued at $9,000 was discovered missing from a store. Employees recalled an unknown male was being shown these chains a few days earlier. Store video was reviewed that showed the male concealing the missing gold chain into his pocket. Upon entering the store, the male immediately requested to look at gold chains and began flashing cash under the pretense of buying a large solid gold chain. Several different gold chains were shown as he inspected them. During the presentation, the suspect managed to palm one of the gold chains and conceal it in his back left pocket. The suspect claimed he would return with more money and left the store without making a purchase. A report was filed with Little Rock Police for further investigation.

Suspect(s) Description: Male, Middle Eastern, 5’7, 40-50 years old, stocky build, approx. 230lbs, balding with salt and pepper beard. Wearing a blue short sleeve collared shirt, dark pants/jeans and white tennis shoes.

If you have any information regarding this subject, please contact the Jewelers Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.