Cobb jewelry heist done by pros, police say

Burglars stole half a million dollars in diamonds, gold and watches Tuesday night from a Kennesaw jewelry store, after cutting a hole in the roof, police said.

Police say the jewelry thieves were “professionals” who were able to disable the store’s modern security system and surveillance equipment.

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Johnny Crawford/jcrawford@ajc.com

The thieves cut a hole in the roof and the side of a metal safe at the Top Style Diamond store.

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“Even though evidence was recovered at the crime scene, detectives believe that the persons had to have specific knowledge of business alarms as well as how to cut into a safe,” police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said.

Adam Rubin, Owner of the Topstyle Diamonds store at 355 Barrett Parkway, opened his door Wednesday morning to find shattered jewelry cases and safes cut open.

“There were holes in two of my safes, and a hole in the ceiling,” Rubin said. “I’m angry. We’ve never had a robbery or burglary.”

Pierce said investigators are concerned because of how well thieves concealed their entrance and exit.

“This seems to be a very professional job,” he said. “They had to have crew of two or more, and had to have intricate knowledge of safes.

“There are redundant systems to alarms that they were able to defeat. And based on what they took, this had to be a crew that knows their trade.”

The store is backed up to a hill leading to I-75, and investigators believe the thieves used the hill to hide their entrance, Pierce said.

They entered sometime between closing Tuesday around 6:15 and when the first person opened the store just before 8 a.m. Wednesday, he said.

Pierce said police believe this crew may be targeting other small jewelry stores. But store owner Rubin has resolved that his business won’t be a victim again.

“I’m going to beef up my security,” he said.

Police are asking anyone with information about the burglary to call the Cobb County Police at 770-499-4181.