Melrose jewelry store robbery caught on camera; latest in string of thefts

This latest robbery comes as police warn Bronx business owners that dozens of other jewelry stores in the borough have also been robbed.

News 12 Staff

May 8, 2022, 10:20 PM

Updated 940 days ago

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Police say a Saturday night robbery inside a Melrose jewelry was caught on camera.
The video of the business on 3rd Avenue appears to show the thief taking out a gun before getting away with thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise.
This latest robbery comes as police warn Bronx business owners that dozens of other jewelry stores in the borough have also been robbed.
Eli Harari, the owner of EH Jewelry, said he is at a crossroad. He said this business is his livelihood but after Saturday's robbery he says he may just be better off shutting down.
He said this was his first robbery in 15 years.
Police say the man entered the store around 6:30 p.m. He told the employee he wanted to buy a 14-karat chain for his girlfriend and asked where that jewelry was hanging.
Harari told News 12 the man then presented the employee with a debit card that had no money on it.
As the employee ran his card and pointed out the jewelry, the man reached into his jacket, opened the "employees only" door, took out a gun and demanded the jewelry.
"After he showed him, that's when he opened the door for one second and went inside," Harari said.
Within seconds, the man took several trays of jewelry. Police say the jewelry stolen was worth around $8,000 and Harari told News 12 the suspect also took $1,000 from their register.
Police say the suspect who is still at large was last seen wearing a jacket that read "protocol candy shop."
Meantime, Harari, still upset over the robbery, said he's unsure of what to do next.
"Maybe I've got to close this business because it's dangerous. This is all that I have in my life. If they take everything, I will be homeless, so I don't want to be like that," he said.
Police say the employee was not hurt.
As police have reported multiple robberies at Bronx jewelry stores in recent weeks, it's unclear if they are all related to this recent incident in Melrose.