Burglars ransack jewelry store in Union, New Jersey, may be linked to a dozen other break-ins
UNION, N.J. -- Police are looking for a group of jewelry thieves who were caught on camera breaking into a store in Union, New Jersey.
Surveillance video shows the group outside the Union Jewelers Exchange on Route 22 at around 4 a.m. Monday.
They were wearing jackets, hoods and masks. One used a sledgehammer to break through the glass front door before they all went inside.
"Four guys ran in, ransacked pretty much all the drawers, trying to grab whatever they can," said owner Joseph Alpar.
They jumped over display cases, but all the cases were empty. The valuable jewelry was put in a safe for the night.
"Everything goes away, all the merchandise goes away. Nothing stays out, lucky for us," said Alpar.
The group got away with maybe a few hundred dollars worth of used watches, according to Alpar.
Police believe the group was responsible for at least two similar burglaries overnight Sunday, in Maplewood and Scotch Plains.
It's possible the group is linked to at least a dozen smash-and-grabs at jewelry stores across New Jersey over the last two weeks, police said.
Alpar said his friends and relatives were among those who suffered significant losses.
"It was big numbers. I don't know exactly how much, but it was big numbers. I'm sure it hurt," said Alpar.
Police are looking for a white Jeep SUV that was used in the burglary, possibly driven by a fifth suspect.
Police said it's hard to catch criminals like these in the act because they get in and out so quickly.
"It looks like they had it one, two, three. They knew exactly how to get in," said Alpar.
They were in the store for just about three and a half minutes before taking off in the getaway car, Alpar said.
Police said they're collaborating with investigators in other townships on the case.
The glass storefront at Alpar's store has been repaired.