ST. THOMAS — Police are investigating a daylight robbery at a downtown jewelry store that occurred shortly after noon today on St. Thomas.
The owner of Precious Jewels on Main Street in Charlotte Amalie called police at about 12:26 p.m. to report that his jewelry store had just been robbed, according to Glen Dratte, VIPD spokesperson.
Dratte said preliminary information indicated that suspects entered the store armed with hammers before fleeing the area. He said no one has been detained at this time and the case remains an active investigation.
Dratte said he is still waiting to receive the official report from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, and that additional information would be released as it becomes available.
The store owner provided WTJX with further details about the incident. He said that around 12:20 p.m., three masked males entered the store. He said the suspects looked young, estimating their ages between 15 and 18 years old. He said one was armed with a gun, another carried a hammer, and the third held a bag.
Several pieces of jewelry were taken during the robbery, though the owner declined to specify what was stolen or the total value of the merchandise. No one was physically injured during the incident.
The owner said the store’s security cameras were not functioning at the time of the robbery. As a result, he said he asked neighboring businesses if he could access their surveillance footage.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the VIPD by calling 340-774-2211 or 911. Anonymous tips may also be provided by contacting Crime Stoppers VI at 1-800-222-8477.
