“It's cold chills. Everything was gone. The store was left in a mess. It was very bad,” said store manager, Wyatt Rolison, to Inside Edition Digital. “It doesn't feel like this is something that would happen here in Spartanburg, South Carolina."
The owners and employees of a family-owned jewelry store in South Carolina were devastated when thieves ransacked the shop and got away with more than $1 million worth of goods, most of which will not be reimbursed through insurance, they tell Inside Edition Digital.
It was the middle of the night when the owner of Queens Jewelers in Spartanburg got an alert on his phone. Though the store, which opened in the WestGate Mall in 1999, and the mall itself were closed, he could see through his NEST camera that three individuals were inside. And the suspects, dressed in all black, were taking all the high end pieces from the store's jewelry display cases.
“It's cold chills. Everything was gone. The store was left in a mess. It was very bad,” store manager Wyatt Rolison tells Inside Edition Digital. “It doesn't feel like this is something that would happen here in Spartanburg, South Carolina to a family owned business.”
The suspects went after the store's big ticket items, including diamonds and Rolex watches, ultimately stealing $1.2 million worth of jewelry, the owner says.
“They way that they're walking through the mall in the video, they're just so confident, like they know what they're doing. They know nothing's going to happen to them,” Rolinson says.
The burglary marks the fifth break-in at the mall in 2023, according to police. Several juveniles were arrested in connection with three of the previous incidents. No arrests have been made in the other two incidents, including the break-in at Queens Jewelers.
“How are these people just getting in the mall after hours? Where is security? What are they doing,” Rolinson says.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the mall said, "Only two incidents have been reported to mall management, and both were reported to law enforcement. In both of those incidents, the mall doors were locked and the suspects broke-in to gain entry. As to the first incident, it occurred at 1 a.m., the alarm sounded, and law enforcement immediately responded, caught, and arrested the suspect. As to the second incident, it occurred minutes after the mall closed for business that day. Law enforcement was immediately notified of that incident as well, and we understand that it is still under investigation. No other incidents were reported to mall management, but mall management has learned that one other incident occurred in mid-January and was also reported to law enforcement. The incident, however, did not occur after-hours; it involved shoplifting and occurred in the mall common area during normal business hours. That incident is still under investigation by law enforcement as well. We have asked law enforcement if they have any additional reports of incidents at the mall, and we understand they have none. If we learn of additional reports, we will review them and take appropriate action."
Without the jewelry to sell, the business has taken a massive hit. Rolinson says insurance will cover $200,000 of losses. The store is offering a $10,000 reward in hopes that arrests will be made and they will have some peace knowing that they won’t return.
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