Police: Jewelry store burglary in Baltimore County may be related to other smash-and-grabs
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore County Police are searching for jewelry thieves that smashed a stolen van into the front of a jewelry store in Pikesville, getting away with $700,000 worth of items.
Radcliffe Jewelers on Reisterstown Road in Pikesville is back open as the owners try to repair the damage that was done during the smash-and-grab incident.
"Someone just crashed a whole car into the building and just robbed it, Kate Uecker who works nearby said.
The burglary happened around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
People who work nearby can't believe it happened.
"I mean they lock up all the jewelry at night so how much realistically could they have stolen? $700,000 apparently. Wow," Uecker said.
Detectives tell WJZ that officers were notified about the crime immediately because the break-in tripped the store's alarm.
But before officers could arrive, they said, the thieves escaped using a getaway car, leaving the stolen van used to ram into the business behind.
"Our detectives are currently looking through all surveillance," Baltimore County Police Det. Trae Corbin said. "Not necessarily just at the jewelry store, but in the area, too, to try to figure out information about the vehicle that was brought there and the suspects."
Detectives are also working to find out if this case is related to other smash-and-grabs that have happened in the area recently
They're now reminding business owners to be more vigilant about protecting their valuables in order to prevent them from being targeted.
"We just ask that you go ahead and place them in a secure location when you close the store," Corbin said. "Same thing with cash registers. Do not leave any currency inside the registers upon closing."
Baltimore County detectives want to hear from anyone who knows anything about this burglary.
Anonymous tipsters can call the Metro Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-866-7LOCKUP.