$27K in jewelry stolen from Rock Hill store

Several thousands of dollars worth of jewelry was stolen from a Rock Hill store early Wednesday morning in a heist that also damaged the shop’s door and display cases.

Rock Hill police were alerted to a burglary alarm at Norman Hege Jewelers on Herlong Avenue at 12:40 a.m., according to a police report. Officers found the front door smashed and several glass display cases broken into.

Video surveillance shows two masked, gloved men break through the glass front of the store using a large rock. One man smashed through three display cases and can be seen attempting to break into more. The other thief then grabbed around $20,000 worth of birthstone rings and $7,000 worth of watches from another display case, the report states.

Damage to the business was estimated at $2,000. A K-9 tracking team was dispatched to search the area around the store.

In addition to the authentic jewelry, co-owner Linda Hege Gordon said, the thieves made off with some fake jewelry.

“We had a sample line of diamonds that were on display that they apparently thought were real,” Gordon said. “They’re worthless. It serves them right.”

Thefts like this have been rare for the jewelers. Gordon remembers her father, Norman Hege, was robbed at gunpoint in 1973, but that happened at their former location on Hampton Street. Since the store opened on Herlong, she said, they haven’t had any problems.

“It bothers me a little,” Gordon said. “Herlong is so busy during the day, we feel pretty secure. But I didn’t think about what could happen at night.”

The burglary won’t disrupt the business too much. By early morning, the broken glass had been cleared away and the store was open for business. The stolen items are covered by the store’s insurance, Gordon said.

This story was originally published March 18, 2015 at 10:26 AM with the headline "$27K in jewelry stolen from Rock Hill store."