West Miami Police Search For Jewelry Store Burglar

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - West Miami Police have a safety alert about two day daring bandits who they say steal a $62,000 Cuban-link necklace from a jewelry store.

Surveillance tape obtained from police and the owner of the store, William Diaz, shows a man entering the store around 1 p.m. last Friday and speaking with a clerk about the weight and price of the necklace and the deposit that is needed.

You can also heard his voice on the tape and he is asking questions like "What is the weight" and "What is the deposit."

Inside the store at 5840 S.W. 8th St. you see the man wrapping the necklace around his neck and then suddenly when his accomplice is allowed in to the store through a buzzer, he runs away quickly with the accomplice and police say a car may have been waiting for them.

Diaz told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "It makes me angry. It bothers me that they don't have the capacity to work for themselves and earn their own living and are finding ways to do harm to me when I work so hard. It is important that they capture them. I was robbed. I would like for this video to be seen in a lot of places so that this doesn't happen to someone else."

Det. Richard Menor said, "I am sure that ay have done this before. This is choreographed so well. We have also had instances of suspicious persons casing stores. We have received calls about people lingering by stores. In this case there are no threats or weapons. He enters like any other customer asking questions but he has no intention of purchasing items. He is also very careful. He never touches the glass and leaves fingerprints behind."

Menor said both subjects are African-American males. He says the man who steals the necklace is in his mid to late 20s and is about 6'4" tall and weighs between 200 and 225 pounds. He said his accomplice is in he's late 20s to early 30s and is between 6' and 6'2" tall.

Anyone with information that can help police should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $1,000.

Menor said police have seen an increase in such crimes during the holidays.

Diaz said he is taking steps to tighten up security and plans to add a second entrance door for people being buzzed in to the store.

Det. Menor also said "We suggest that patrons remove their facial coverings and glasses and hats so we are able to get better video of them."

He said he realizes he works in a business that can be dangerous. He said six months ago another store that he owns was robbed at gunpoint of $25,000.