jewelry blogs

burglary of a Dothan jewelry store and a break-in of a state Department of Correction vehicle.

Capt. Steve Parrish said an investigator filed a felony third-degree burglary and felony unlawful breaking and entering of a motor vehicle charge against William Ray Colburn, 30, and his wife, Shaina Rochell Pray, 21. Police charged the couple with burglarizing Interco Coin and Jewelry store, which was reported to police on Jan. 18. Parrish previously said the burglar entered the store after throwing an unidentified object through a window.

Herbert Haar, the owner of the store located in the 2300 block of Ross Clark Circle, said he reported between $50,000 and $60,000 worth of property stolen during the burglary.

Police said in a statement that their investigation showed the majority of the jewelry taken during the burglary was taken to a pawn shop in Bay County, Fla. The Dothan police statement said the Panama City Beach Police Department has located the pawn shop and placed a hold on the remainder of the stolen property.

Police also charged the couple with breaking into a Florida Department of Correction vehicle parked at Southeast Alabama Medical Center on Saturday Jan. 7. Parrish said the couple was charged with stealing a radio and other assorted property during the break-in.

Parrish said the bond had been set at $20,000 for Colburn and $5,000 for Pray.

The Dothan charges resulted after investigators with the Opp Police Department arrested the couple shortly after a reported burglary at an Opp computer store early Saturday morning. Opp police charged the couple with felony first-degree theft of property and felony third-degree burglary. The couple remains held at the Covington County Jail.

Dothan police investigators charged a Samson couple Wednesday with the burglary of a Dothan jewelry store and a break-in of a state Department of Correction vehicle.

Capt. Steve Parrish said an investigator filed a felony third-degree burglary and felony unlawful breaking and entering of a motor vehicle charge against William Ray Colburn, 30, and his wife, Shaina Rochell Pray, 21. Police charged the couple with burglarizing Interco Coin and Jewelry store, which was reported to police on Jan. 18. Parrish previously said the burglar entered the store after throwing an unidentified object through a window.

Herbert Haar, the owner of the store located in the 2300 block of Ross Clark Circle, said he reported between $50,000 and $60,000 worth of property stolen during the burglary.

Police said in a statement that their investigation showed the majority of the jewelry taken during the burglary was taken to a pawn shop in Bay County, Fla. The Dothan police statement said the Panama City Beach Police Department has located the pawn shop and placed a hold on the remainder of the stolen property.

Police also charged the couple with breaking into a Florida Department of Correction vehicle parked at Southeast Alabama Medical Center on Saturday Jan. 7. Parrish said the couple was charged with stealing a radio and other assorted property during the break-in.

Parrish said the bond had been set at $20,000 for Colburn and $5,000 for Pray.

The Dothan charges resulted after investigators with the Opp Police Department arrested the couple shortly after a reported burglary at an Opp computer store early Saturday morning. Opp police charged the couple with felony first-degree theft of property and felony third-degree burglary. The couple remains held at the Covington County Jail.

In a nod to the bad economy, Stan Shelley, owner of Shelley’s Jewelry in Hendersonville, is giving away 50 sterling silver heart bracelets to people who’ve lost their homes or a job

We heard about somebody in California doing it, and we decided that’s a heck of a nice thing to do,” said Shelley, who’s been in business since 1973. “People coming in are tremendously appreciative. This is not like a Crackerjack box piece of jewelry. It’s a nice piece that will make a nice Valentine’s Day gift.”

The bracelets come in two styles, a “puffed heart” and a flat heart. They would sell for $30 to $50, he said.

“What we’re doing is giving them to people who’ve lost their job or lost their home – somebody’s who’s had a hit,” Shelley said.

Valentine’s Day is Saturday.

Shelley’s has garnered plenty of attention for its promotions over the years. More than a decade ago, he launched a promotion wherein male shoppers buying a nice piece of Mother’s Day jewelry would get a free shotgun.

That promotion garnered attention from all over.

“That was the promotion heard ‘round the world,” Shelley said with a laugh.

For more information, call Shelley’s at 692-3615 or visit the store, at 429 N. Main St. in Hendersonville.

evidence left at the scene of the burglary at Harold’s Jewelry last November links the crime to a San Jose resident, Los Altos police reported today. Detective John Korges said that DNA traces left on a cigarette and other items from the crime scene linked San Jose resident Steven Michael Garcia, 26, to the burglary.

    On Nov. 2, suspects broke into Harold’s Jewelry through a common wall shared with Hordins Bookkeeping and Income Tax Service, stole a safe and emptied another safe of approximately $500,000 in jewels, jewelry and cash.

 Mail-in companies that exchange cash for jewelry may be the latest place thieves are unloading their stolen wares, Charlotte County detectives said.

Once pieces are shipped to such companies, investigators have virtually no way to trace what could be stolen evidence, said sheriff’s spokesman Bob Carpenter.

The county has seen a spike in residential jewelry burglaries, five in the last two days alone, reports show.

“I’m not saying they’re bad companies, just that there’s absolutely no way to check it, and thieves know this,” Carpenter said. “They’re putting it in an envelope and sending it to these companies outside the area.”

At second-hand jewelry dealers and pawn shops, sellers are required to give thumbprints and identification, establishing a permanent transaction record for law enforcement.

“Everything in our computer gets sent to police everyday,” said Kim Nugent, co-owner of Ambassador Estate Jewelry in Port Charlotte.

Audrey Samuels lost her diamond engagement ring in a recent theft.

“I blame all this on the economy,” Samuels said. “Things are really bad, and people are desperate.”

While gold thefts are on the rise, Carpenter says copper thefts - once a daily problem - have tapered off.

Tighter restrictions that began in October at recycling centers require sellers to hand over an ID and thumbprint when selling metals, similar to requirements at pawn shops.

Deputies are urging residents to keep jewelry out of obvious places inside their homes.

Since the offer was made in November, the Jewelry Box has collected about 15 boxes, make that barrels, of non-perishables.

The drive worked so well, store owners will keep it going indefinitely.

And there is a need. As the South County Outreach Food Bank reminds, there are 34,000 homeless in Orange County.

“People just bring us bags of food,” says Jewelry Box co-owner Jack Levinson. “A lot of folks bring in food and don’t even care about the discount.”

You may have lost your job or home but you can still get a Valentine’s Day gift for your sweetheart, thanks to a Florida jewelry store.

Diamonds Direct of St. Petersburg is giving away 100 sterling silver pendants worth $99 each to anyone who comes into the store with a job termination or home foreclosure notice.

The store announced the offer on Tuesday and by Wednesday had given away 75 of the necklaces, according to marketing director Christine Joyner.

Joyner said many of those seeking the free jewelry had lost professional or technology jobs because of the poor economy.

“We’ve had so many heart-breaking stories,” she said in an interview.

The Jewelry Box of Lake Forest is giving a 10 percent discount on all jewelry and watch repairs in exchange for a non-perishable item for the needy.

Customers have been coming in droves, bringing such items as soup cans, cereal and baby food to be donated to South County Outreach’s food bank.

Since November the store has collected about 15 barrels holding 55 gallons worth on no-perishables. The food drive has been so popular that store owners have decided to continue it well past the holidays and extended the repair discount indefinitely.

“People just bring in bags of food,” said co-owner Jack Levinson. “A lot of folks bring in food and don’t even care about the discount.”

The Jewelry Box of Lake Forest, located in Heritage Hill Plaza at Lake Forest Drive and Trabuco Road, is a full-service jewelry store, selling fine and fashion jewelry