MIAMI – A pair of crooks have been caught on camera making off with a ritzy chain from a South Florida family jewelry business.
An employee was showing a gold chain to some men when they snatched the chain and ran out of the store in seconds.
It was a grab-and-go rip-off. Thieves ran out of a Miami jewelry store with one of them clutching a Cuban link chain worth more than $20,000.
“This is 100 grams, and they stole one that was 715 grams,” said Amaury Hernandez.
Hernandez said he was working Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. when it happened.
“They come in, they ask for a Rolex. It was over here,” he said.
Surveillance video caught two guys strolling into the family business, Amaury Jewelry, in the 4800 block of Southwest Eighth Street.
After learning the store doesn’t sell Rolex watches, they set their sights on selecting a gold chain.
The guy in the Champion T-shirt asked to try one on. He checked himself out in the mirror as his buddy hung around on the phone.
About that time, their friend decided to join the party, but employees didn’t immediately buzz him.
“Then another guy arrived at the door, and since it was such an expensive item, we decided we weren’t going to open the door until we got the chain back,” Hernandez said.
So before letting the third guy in, an employee gets the chain back behind the security glass but not far enough.
When the door was unlocked, one guy grabbed the chain and all three took off running.
“First, I call my mom, and then I put the alarm on so the police came, and then I went after him,” Hernandez said.
Cameras on the grocery store next door caught the guys running out, hopping into what appears to be a white Chevy Malibu and taking off.
One guy was wearing glasses and a blue face covering, and another was in a hard-to-miss outfit, light jeans with what appears to be pink flames shooting up from the ankle.
Amaury Jewelry posted the video on social media the same day hoping for tips.
“Please, if you have information, we are willing to give compensation for anyone that has information that can get these guys arrested,” Hernandez said.
If you have any information regarding the identity of the men, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.