Thieves take off with thousands in Native American jewelry

[left-of-center2012]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An early morning break-in at Palms Trading Post has the business looking for answers after thieves take thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.
“It’s really disheartening we’ve talked to other local businesses in the community and it seems like we aren’t the only one we are going to persevere through this but it’s troublesome to know that this is going on and it hits close to home when it happens to you,” said store manager, Peter Berger.

Berger says the alarm company overseeing the business alerted the owner to the break-in just before 5 a.m. However, once they arrived at the store, it was too late. The crooks had smashed a window and dragged down an iron gate to the main entrance.

“They smashed two very specific cases. As far as value goes it seems they really knew what the value was and what they wanted to target so
there were only two cases smashed but a lot lost,” Berger said.

Some of the items taken included; Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni necklaces, bracelets, belt buckles, and pendants but the most personal and sentimental of all was one item that was not for sale. It was a Morenci turquoise cuff valued at over $14,000. “Very expensive and very personal to the store. A lot of Navajo pearls and a lot of sterling silver that our artists work very hard to make. Most importantly a bracelet that has been part of the store for over 30 years now,” added Berger.

Berger says in total the business is looking at a loss of about $65,000.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/thieves-take-off-with-thousands-in-native-jewelry/

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. I was in that shop 4 years ago.

The Squash Blossom sets were amazingly beautiful.

So sad.

[lamp_shade]

2. I hope they catch the bastids.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. I have had two different jewelry store jobs.

One was at an independent one, the other with a chain.

Both of them put all of their high-end jewelry, in both cases about 75% of the stock, into the safe at night. Every time I read of a jewelry store after hours robbery, I wonder why that isn't the normal thing to do.