Local family owned jewelry store out thousands after theft - WVLT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) For nearly four decades, Martha Lee's Jewelry has sat peaceful on Clinton Highway. Before dawn on Sunday morning, that 38-year tranquility ended.
"He came in from the back, and obviously he came over this way, he came to the cash register and I think he kind of did a sweep," Terry Merianos, owner of Martha's Jewelry store, said.
The thief stole $7,500 worth of antique jewelry, gold, and diamonds, but what Merianos hopes tracks the suspect down is what he left behind.
"I think that he tripped on something as he was leaving, he left a toboggan, he had used a sledgehammer on the back door along with a hacksaw, he left those tools behind as well," Merianos said.
Walking through her shop, you can see that a lot of the merchandise has some pretty distinct qualities. Merianos hopes that will help other pawn shops, the police, and you track the crook down.
"The items are very identifiable, so hopefully they'll pop up in the system and we'll be able to catch this guy and get him off the street," Merianos said.
Thousands of dollars in merchandise gone, but for Merianos, she says that this little shop is back to business as usual.
"Just a bump in the road, and he'll get caught, and if not this time, he'll slip and he'll get caught the next time," Merianos said.
If you have any information on this case, you are urged to call Knoxville Police at 865-215-7000 or Martha Lee's Jewelry at 865-688-0114
