Headlines

West Coast Jewelry Thieves Target Pedestrians Using ‘Chaotic Interactions’

Two of the instances have involved Rolex watches, and another involved a $6,000 necklace.

Published

2 years ago

August 2, 2022

INSTORE Staff

Thieves have been targeting pedestrians for their jewelry in Washington State.

Bellevue Police Capt. Joe Nault said there have been six cases, King5 reports. He said the thefts appear to involved a group using “an organized, well-rehearsed tactic.”

The suspects tend to “create a chaotic interaction” such as starting a conversation involving a language barrier.

“A lot of things are happening at once, sort of a stimulus overload and then next thing you know their necklace or watch has been removed from them,” Nault said.

Two of the instances have involved Rolex watches, and another involved a $6,000 necklace.

Four of the cases occurred in Bellevue, while one happened in Kirkland and another happened on Kitsap Peninsula.

Nault said similar crimes have been reported in San Diego.

And in June, police in Staten Island, NY, advised residents to hide their jewelry while walking down the street.

Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon posted a flyer from the New York Police Department stating that “crews of thieves have been reportedly stealing jewelry from elderly victims, often using children as a distraction.”

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”