Raiders escaped with a haul worth up to $100,000 from a George Town jewellery store during the early hours of New Year’s Eve.
Two thieves targeted Accents jewellery store at about 1:30am on 31 Dec. and escaped with jewellery valued between $60,000 and $100,000.
A spokesman for the store, in George Town’s Thompson Building shopping centre on Main Street, said the value of the haul, which included pendants, bracelets and other valuable items, was still being added up.
He said he was alerted to the raid at home after a staff member arrived at about 8:30am to open up the store on New Year’s Eve.
“It was a bit of a shock, but what can you do? We’ve never been robbed before,” the spokesman said.
“I was just dealing with stuff with the baby and I got the call from an employee. She discovered it when she opened up.”
The raiders smashed open display cases and looted the contents.
The spokesman admitted that the blow was so hard that they considered closing down the store, but it was decided they would not give in to criminals by shutting the shop.
He said, “At first, I thought, ‘Shut down and call it a day’, but we want to move forward and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The spokesman said the position of the store, on an upper floor at the back of the block, may have been why it was targeted.
But he said that the Thompson Building was covered by CCTV cameras and police were examining footage as part of the investigation.
Police only revealed the robbery had taken place on Wednesday – nine days after the incident happened.
The force appealed for witnesses to come forward but refused to release CCTV images, which could help identify the two thieves, who left the scene on foot.
The force said a man, 40, from West Bay was arrested on Monday in connection with the break-in, but was released on bail and that investigations continued.
A spokeswoman said, “The investigation is ongoing. Images will not be released while various lines of enquiry are currently being progressed.”
It is a crime to handle or dispose of goods known or believed to have been stolen. Anyone convicted of the offence can face up to 14 years in jail.
Images of some of the stolen items can be seen here. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via the Cayman Crime Stoppers website or by downloading the Cayman Crime Stoppers app.
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