Police are searching for a man who allegedly stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from an antique store in Oakwood earlier this month and who walks with an unusual wobbling or swaying gait, according to the Oakwood Police Department.
A man visited Aardvark Antiques on Mundy Mill Road on both March 8 and 9, according to investigator Danny Sridej. On the first day, he made conversation with employees and determined the location of the store’s cameras. He returned the following night after the store closed to steal several valuable items, including rings and an antique watch, Sridej said.
Store owner Charles Pharr said the items are valued at more than $30,000. He described the man as walking “kind of like a penguin.”
After first entering the store on March 8 at around 1 p.m., the man “must have made 10 trips to the jewelry counter” to seemingly view a large piece of art beside it, which he photographed, said Pharr. He said the man repeatedly glanced at the security monitor in the store, unlocked the latch on a roll-up door in the back area and exited.
The following night after closing time, Pharr said, the man re-entered the store through the roll-up door and cut power wires in an attempt to disable the security camera system. But the cameras remained functional and footage shows the man ducking behind the counter and grabbing the items, according to Pharr.
Among the stolen items, Sridej said, were antique rings, gold bracelets with diamonds and an antique watch.
This was the first time such an incident has happened at the store and “this guy knew what he was doing,” Pharr said. The roll-up door is usually checked to make sure it is locked but wasn’t on the the day of the reported theft, he said.
Sridej said the man was also careful not to leave fingerprints.
“We’re hoping a citizen or bystander might recognize him from the photographs,” Sridej said, or that the stolen items might be recognized if they are put on sale online or at a pawn shop.
The man is described as white, between 5 foot 4 and 5-6, between 180-210 pounds and likely in his early 50s.
Those with information are encouraged to call (770) 534-2364.
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