Crime & Safety

Seasons Stealings: Is the Grinch a Jewelry Thief?

Probably not. But after two attempted thefts in the Center and a successful one earlier this week in West Concord, police say there can be an uptick in this kind of crime around the holidays.

 

The woman looked ordinary when she walked into noa on Monday, Dec. 3, but when she walked out the door the shopkeepers realized she was anything but.

A simply, respectfully dressed young woman with long brown hair, she asked to look inside noa’s only locked jewelry case, saying she had been sent by her father to scout out a gift for him to get for her mother.

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She asked a few questions, including one that prompted the clerk to walk away from the case to consult a storeowner. And then she was gone, and out the door went with her a handful of bracelets and rings.

“As it stands, it looks like five items valued at $5,100; all of them made by New England artisans,” storeowner Ian Scofidio said earlier this week. “It’s a shame that it happened, especially during the holidays, but it’s not going to deter us. We’ll be OK.”

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The holiday heist was the first time noa has been hit by thieves since opening up shop a few years ago in West Concord. But it wasn’t the first time it’s happened in Concord. In fact, it’s not even the first attempted jewelry theft in the past few weeks.

Last Thursday, Nov. 29, an employee from Fairbank and Perry Goldsmiths reported a woman left the store after attempting to shoplift some jewelry. Police caught that alleged crook and arrested her on Walden Street on charges of shoplifting by concealing merchandise.

Before that, there was an attempted theft on the shopping day known as “Small Business Saturday.”

Around 5 p.m. on Nov. 24, an employee from Vassell Jewelers reported an attempted larceny from a display case. According to the caller, an employee observed a . That woman was described as a nicely dressed blonde woman in her 20s.

Concord Police Chief Barry Neal told Patch on Thursday that there’s no reason to believe the three incidents are connected, but there can be an uptick in this kind of crime during the holiday season.

“Due to the increase in shoppers, [thieves] will try to blend in with patrons and hope for the opportunity to take something,” said Neal, adding that CPD has increased the presence of officers in local business areas.


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