Suspected Thief Poses as Maintenance Worker in Encinitas Jewelry Store Heist - NBC 7 San Diego
Donning a fluorescent vest and hard hat, an unknown man posed as a maintenance worker in an elaborate ploy to burglarize a jewelry store in Encinitas earlier this month, investigators said Thursday.
The man’s ruse – which included carrying a stick used to pick up trash from the ground as he strolled in front of the Three Sisters Jewelry Store on South Coast Highway 101 – was caught on surveillance video released by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSO) Thursday. Investigators believe the man in the video was casing the store before the heist.
According to investigators from the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station, the business was burglarized between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Sept. 15 by the man in disguise and another unknown man.
The two suspects broke into the business by cutting a hole in a back wall of the store, causing about $800 in damage. Once inside, investigators said the men nabbed $7,000 worth of jewelry.
Further details were not immediately released, but investigators are hoping someone recognizes the men in the video, leading to fresh leads.
The first suspect wore a bright yellow vest, white hard hat, light-colored pants and a T-shirt. The second man wore a black hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans. After the burglary, the men took off in a black, four-door car, possible a 1990s Lexus.
Anyone with information on this case can contact the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station at (760) 966-3500 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a $1,000 reward for details that lead to an arrest.
