Jewelry deal goes awry; man shot

Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2001 | 9:36 a.m.

A jewelry sale at a Las Vegas home turned into a robbery Monday night when the would-be buyer attacked the owner, Metro Police said.

The attacker left the home with gunshot wounds, but an accomplice fled with the jewels, police said.

The robbery occurred about 7 p.m. in the 3200 block of Mason Avenue, near Decatur and Charleston boulevards, Sgt. Jim Young said.

The seller, who is in his 40s, had advertised some jewelry for sale, but the buyers decided they didn't want to pay, Young said.

"The resident had met with a man and woman, who were interested in the jewelry earlier Monday," Young said. "The couple arranged to pick the jewelry up later Monday night at the resident's home. When the suspects came back, the male suspect pulled out a small crowbar and hit the resident with it."

A woman who also lives at the home got a gun and shot the man carrying the crowbar three times, Young said.

The female accomplice grabbed the jewelry and fled the neighborhood before police arrived. The man who was shot was taken to University Medical Center, where he remains in serious condition.

The resident who was hit with the crowbar was treated for minor injuries at UMC, police said.

The male suspect, who has not yet been identified, will be charged with robbery with a deadly weapon, police said.

Police describe the female suspect as either white or Hispanic, about 22 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall with short black hair.

Anyone with information about the robbery or the suspects is asked to call Secret Witness at 385-5555.