Police Investigate Massive Burglary Ring At Philly Jewelry Store
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Only CBS 3 was there as police from Lower Merion and Abington Townships and international experts in cracking safes worked around the clock inside V Jewelers.
CRACKING SAFES - Police are still at a jewelry store on Jewelers' Row, the alleged base of a massive burglary ring. STORY AT 11 @CBSPhilly pic.twitter.com/qX2OMoomrO
— Joe Holden (@JoeHoldenCBS3) January 23, 2017
Court documents obtained by Eyewitness News show the Jewelers Row business was nothing more than a front. Investigators say this location and three other places within a block are where stolen jewelry from a multi-million dollar burglary ring was moved.
Court papers identify Wasim Shazad of East Norriton as "the fence" - a term used to describe a middleman.
Sources tell CBS 3 police have been working to crack at least six safes owned by Shazad. Crews were at the business at 700 Sansom Street all weekend, and late into the night on Sunday.
Investigators say tens of thousands of pieces of jewelry have since been recovered from the sprawling burglary ring spanning Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and New Castle Counties.
Four burglars in connection to the ring have been in jail since the summer.
"This criminal enterprise would conduct surveillance on their targeted homes, employ co-conspirators as lookouts, tamper with home security cameras, and use two-way radios to communicate," court papers revealed.
In one case from last winter in Kennett Square, some $600,000 in jewelry was swiped.
Shazad, who is out on bail, did not respond to a message seeking comment. Court records did not list an attorney.