Police are searching for a burglar who entered a Woodland Hills, CA, jewelry store through a hole in the ceiling early Saturday, marking the second such break-in at the business in six months.
The burglary occurred around 2:40 a.m. at Nafiseh Jewelry on Ventura Boulevard, triggering alarms that alerted the owners on their phones. The Nezafati family, who has owned the store for 30 years, watched the surveillance footage live and even spoke to the suspect through the security system, telling him to leave and warning that police were on the way.
“We’re scared, we’re tired,” owner Touraj Nezafati told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s time for [my parents] to actually retire and enjoy their lives but they can’t because they are always worrying about the store”.
The suspect spent six minutes rummaging through cases before fleeing back through the roof. The speed and precision of the heist makes the family think the thief knows the store well.
“He must be someone who either knows us, has worked here or has just been watching us for a while,” Nezafati told Fox News.
NBC Los Angeles reported the family believes the thief stole $100,000 in jewelry, coins, and silver plates. Following the repeat burglaries, the family is considering relocating the store, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. Repairs to the roof alone are estimated to cost $15,000.
St. Petersburg Police Arrest Suspect in $45,000 Sledgehammer Jewelry Heist
Police on Sunday arrested one man for an armed burglary at Old Northeast Jewelers in St. Petersburg, FL, where $45,000 in gems and a gun were stolen, FOX 13 Tampa Bay reports. Savon Hunter and an accomplice allegedly used a sledgehammer to break into the store Jan. 28. Hunter faces charges including armed burglary and possession of crack cocaine. Police are still searching for the second suspect involved in the heist.
Miami Jewelers Sue Floyd Mayweather Over Millions in Unpaid Luxury Watches
Retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. faces two lawsuits from Miami jewelers alleging millions in unpaid bills for luxury timepieces, according to a report from Business Insider. Miami-based chain AJ’s Jewelry filed a state complaint claiming Mayweather took 26 watches — including Rolex and Patek Philippe models—and 15 gold chains totaling $1.675 million. The store alleges Mayweather only paid $300,000 and that five subsequent checks bounced. “AJ’s Jewelry reasonably believed and relied upon Mayweather’s promises to pay,” the complaint states.
Separately, jeweler Leonard Sulaymanov is suing in federal court over a breached settlement involving $3.9 million in jewelry. Mayweather’s attorney, Bobby Samini, told Business Insider that reports of financial strain are “unfounded narratives.”
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