Brooklyn jewelry store owner believes same robber targeted shop twice, made off with $200K in merch
COBBLE HILL, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Police are searching for a jewelry store robber they believe targeted the same Brooklyn business twice and made off with more than $200,000 worth of merchandise.
Surveillance video from the latest heist shows an employee at the Melissa Joy Manning store on Court St. in Cobble Hill on Tuesday just before 3:15 p.m. buzzing in who she thought was a customer.
But the suspected thief, who was dressed in a green tracksuit and wearing a mask, entered right behind that person.
He appeared to take something out of his pocket as he put his arm around one of the employees while threatening another and demanding they open the jewelry case.
He can be heard on the video apparently saying "hurry up or I'll kill you."
Employees stood there helpless as he emptied out the case.
Owner Melissa Joy Manning said the store was also robbed in early February.
"To taunt us by saying, 'hi, I'm back,' as if we should be happy to see him is terrifying," owner Melissa Joy Manning said.
Police are investigating whether the person who was buzzed in had acted as a lookout for the thief.
"Mayor Adams was on recently telling everyone to add buzzed entries and multiple cameras we have done all that - were going to the next level of hiring a guard because we don't feel safe," Manning said.
Police are also looking at the same suspect for possibly at least two other robberies at New York City jewelry stores since January.
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