Baltimore Couple Among Team Wanted For Jewelry Heists In Several States
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ)—Police in several states, including Maryland, are on the hunt for some brazen jewel thieves who so far have made off with stolen jewels worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Derek Valcourt explains how police say the thieves pulled it off.
It's one of the oldest tricks in the book.
One person distracts store employees while others discreetly grab what they can.
Video shows that as clerks in a New Jersey jewelry store assist a pair of men and a woman in the front, their two accomplices-- another man and woman posing as customers-- discreetly reach around and grab what they can.
One woman appears to dump an entire tray of rings into her bag. Then, as clerks turn to assist that couple, the first trio attempts to grab some more merchandise.
Now Baltimore County Police say the tag team of suspects pulled the same sort of scheme at Bijoux Jewels back in May.
"The first pair stayed up front asking a lot of questions. A little later on, an employee noticed that a second pair was standing by an open office door in the back. That employee went back and notified them that they were not allowed to be in that area," said Cpl. John Wachter, Baltimore County Police.
But police say by then it was too late. The thieves had already discreetly stolen more than $25,000 worth of jewelry.
Managers at Bijoux declined to talk about what happened inside the store, only saying they hope police are able to nab the suspects quickly.
And now detectives have identified two of the thieves as 53-year-old Robert Antoine Weathers and 50-year-old Robin Tracey Nelson. Both are from the Baltimore area.
In addition to Maryland, the pair is also wanted in connection with jewelry heists in South Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In Columbia, S.C., police say a jewelry store lost more than $100,000 in diamonds after the pair and their accomplices pulled the same diversion scam.
Police are warning small jewelry shops throughout the country to be on guard.
So far, the team of crooks has netted as much as half a million dollars worth of stolen goods.
Anyone with information on the two wanted suspects is urged to call Baltimore County Police. Or you can remain anonymous and perhaps even earn some reward money by calling Metro Crime Stoppers at 1 -866-7-LOCKUP.
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