Video released by the NYPD Tuesday shows masked thieves smashing a display case inside a Brooklyn jewelry store before they ran off with about $2 million in gems earlier this month — a case first reported by The Post.
The three crooks entered Facets Jewelry store in Park Slope and threatened to shoot a 59-year-old worker on Jan. 8, cops said.
Two of them then used a hammer to break a glass display case, while the third held the door, according to police.
The crooks shoved the jewelry into a black bag and then ran off on foot southbound on President Street, cops said. There were no injuries reported.
The heist lasted about 38-seconds, shop owner Irina Sulay told The Post the day after the robbery.
Photo shows one of the thieves using a hammer to smash glass. Jack Morphet
They then stuffed the jewelry into a black bag. Jack Morphet“I am shocked,” Sulay said. “Honestly, it’s very scary. I couldn’t even talk yesterday. I was hyperventilating, crying, sobbing, and shaking.”
The brazen thieves “took two and a half full cases of diamond engagement rings, newer pieces we’ve designed in-house, and pieces we’ve collected — Art Deco and Edwardian rings,” she said.
“I want to say 100 rings,” Sulay said of the stolen goods that are valued at between $1 million and $2 million.
One of the hoodie and mask wearing crooks smashed the display case with a hammer. Jack MorphetPolice described the suspects as men, medium build, and approximately 25 to 35 years of age.
The Post previously obtained video from the store that shows the thieves breaking the glass and taking the jewels. The NYPD released a portion of that footage.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.
