Headlines

Woman Who Held Door for Robbers Is Headed to Prison

Published

8 years ago

March 16, 2017

INSTORE Staff

The robbers took $100,000 worth of jewelry.

A woman who held the door for three masked gunmen to enter a jewelry store in the U.S. Virgin Islands has been sentenced to 70 months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett announced.

After a five-day trial in March 2015, a federal jury on St. Croix convicted Ketisha Iles, 25, of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and interference with commerce by robbery.

Evidence presented at trial established that on June 17, 2013, after Iles was buzzed into Perfection Jewelry Store, she held the door open for the three gunmen, Hewlett said in a press release.

Once in the store, one of the gunmen hit an employee several times with a gun, according to the release. Another gunman stood at the door while the others broke the display case and stole approximately $100,000 worth of 14-carat gold jewelry.

The evidence also showed that Iles knew of the robbery before it happened and agreed to hold the door open for the gunmen, Hewlett said.

Senior District Court Judge Raymond Finch also sentenced Iles to three years of supervised release and a special monetary assessment of $200.

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.”