The owner of Todd’s Jewelry says he and his employees were not harmed during a Tuesday theft-by-deception incident at the jewelry store on Hammond Drive.
Store owner Todd Quick says the theft occurred Tuesday when the suspect entered the jewelry store and offered to sell him a bag of gold chains and other items. Quick says he inspected the gold and determined the items were authentic, then offered the suspect $20,000. He says the suspect then took the bag of gold chains back, put them in his pocket, and said he could get more money for the items from another gold buyer. Quick told the News Edge the suspect then asked if Todd would be willing to pay him $21,000 for the gold. Quick says he offered an additional $500 and the suspect agreed to sell the gold, then pulled what appeared to be the same bag of gold from his pocket and accepted the money from Quick. After the suspect left the store, Quick says he and his staff decided to clean the gold chains they had purchased and noticed there was paint coming off the gold items. He says they called the Hopkinsville Police Department to report the theft after realizing the gold items were fake.
Quick tells the News Edge he has since spoken with other jewelry store owners in Oklahoma and Mississippi who have been deceived by a man that appears to be the same suspect.
Quick assures his friends and customers that the suspect did not brandish a weapon during the incident. He added that he and his staff were not injured.
