Casa Grande police investigate recent jewelry thefts

CASA GRANDE, AZ - Casa Grande police are investigating a series of recent jewelry-related burglaries.

The latest happened Monday morning at Gold Rush Jewelers near Florence Boulevard and Pueblo Drive.

Workers said the thieves shattered the front door and then cut through the metal security gate to get into the store.

The store manager Danielle Wipping said workers are still determining how much the suspects got away with but said it took less than four minutes from start to finish.

“It felt like I was sucker punched. I wanted to just sit down in all the glass and start crying,” said Wipping.

Wipping said the thieves only stole items in the display case.

Higher end jewelry is kept inside a safe in a back room along with jewelry customers bring in for repairs.

Casa Grade police confirmed it’s the third recent jewelry-related theft.

Last week, someone broke into the Kmart next door and specifically targeted the jewelry section.

Police are also investigating a recent burglary at another small jewelry shop just down the street.

At this point, investigators do not know if any of the cases are connected, but a police spokesman said he thinks the spike in thefts has to do with the rising price of gold.