Six diamond rings stolen from store

July 18, 2007

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - The City of Martinsburg Police Department was investigating Monday the theft of six diamond rings valued at more than $16,000, police said.

On July 10, police were called to Freidman's Jewelers in the Martinsburg Mall, where they spoke to a sales associate who said she dealt with a man and a woman on July 9, at about 5 p.m., police said in a news release.

The sales associate was showing them rings from the same case from which the rings were stolen when the man distracted the sales associate's attention away from the open case by holding a ring out to the side, police alleged.

At that time, a second man entered the store and approached the open case. While the sales associate's back was turned, the man reached into the case and took a display with rings, police alleged. The man hid the display under his shirt and walked out of the store, police said.

The woman then asked where a restroom was and left the store, and the first man asked for a credit application and left the store, police said.

Video surveillance shows both men in the store together prior to the case being open, police said.

The first man was described as black, 35 to 45 years old, between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet tall, weighing 200 to 220 pounds with lightly trimmed facial hair, police said. He was wearing a white baseball hat, white T-shirt and khaki shorts. The woman was described as black, 35 to 45 years old, between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighing about 200 pounds, police said. She was wearing a fake ponytail piece and an aqua shirt, police said.

The second man was described as black with his hair in cornrows, between 18 and 25 years old, and weighing 150 to 170 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information may call police at 304-264-2100.

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