Gutsy gang of thieves suspects in jewel heist

Monday, Feb. 15, 1999 | 11:51 a.m.

The weekend robbery of a Las Vegas jewelry store may be the latest work of a Los Angeles street gang that has been traveling the country for two years hitting similar businesses.

Metro Police Sgt. Tim Shalhoob said today investigators can't be certain Sunday's burglary of the Bailey Banks & Biddle Jewelers inside Fashion Show mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South, early Sunday was by a gang, but there are similarities.

One of the most telling likenesses is the brashness of the burglaries.

Shalhoob said a year ago a group of jewel thieves drove a vehicle through the doors of a closed Meadows mall to gain access to a jewelry store.

Sunday's robbery exhibited similar nerve on the part of the robbers, who ignored an alarm as they entered the mall, used bolt cutters to cut through a wire mesh screen that divides the store from the mall and used pry bars to smash display cases.

Shalhoob said investigators spent the day Sunday ruling out the possibility of an inside job. Security and maintenance personnel were ruled out as accomplices.

At least four people entered the store about 4 a.m. and spent under five minutes, an indication they are veteran jewel thieves.

"They were very selective in what they chose," Shalhoob said.

He said an inventory of the missing jewelry is still being conducted. The value was a minimum of $500,000, though it could have been as high as $1 million.

A video camera caught the robbery on tape, but Shalhoob said the tape was so dark it was impossible to tell anything about the suspects, other than they were wearing dark clothes and their faces were covered.

Shalhoob said because of the poor quality of the tape, they haven't been able to determine the race or the sex of the burglars.

Technicians are trying to lighten the tape in hopes of enhancing the details.

Security videotapes from neighboring casinos are being studied to see if any of them picked up images of the gang entering the mall or fleeing the scene.

Because of a breakdown in security, the burglary wasn't discovered until 6:20 a.m.

Shalhoob said for the past couple of years, L.A. gang members have crisscrossed the country, often hitting chain jewelry stores.

"There usually are multiple suspects," he said. "They are very quick, and each one has a specific job to do as they enter the building."

Information being gathered by the burglary detail will be shared with the department's gang unit and other departments across the country, Shalhoob said.

Shalhoob said in typical jewelry robberies of this nature, the merchandise goes to another jewelry store in another state, where the property is either sold or shipped to another country.

Because of their size, New York City and Los Angeles are the most popular distribution centers.

If anybody has information regarding the burglary, contact Shalhoob at 229-3573 or call Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Shalhoob said no reward is being offered at this time, other than up to $1,000 through the Secret Witness program.