Metro

NJ store robbed off $1M worth of jewelry after handy thieves cut hole in wall

By
Social Links for Patrick Reilly
Published March 29, 2024, 7:01 p.m. ET

Handy thieves pulled off a $1 million jewelry heist at a New Jersey store by cutting a hole in the wall from an adjacent store and using a blowtorch to open the safe, according to police.

The Toms River Police Department responded to a report of a burglary and theft on 10 a.m. Thursday at Venzio Jewelers inside of the Ocean County Mall, police said.

Business representatives told police that someone had busted into the store for the heist between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m..

The suspects entered the rear office of the store by cutting a hole through the wall of an adjacent empty store. They cut the phone and alarm cables and then appeared to have used a torch to cut into the safe.

Approximately $1 million in jewelry was removed, cops said.

Thieves cut a hole through the jewelery store's back office.
Thieves cut a hole through the jewelry store’s back office to get into the safe. Thomas P. Costello / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Venzio Jewelry store
The Venzio Jewelry store was robbed of $1 million worth of jewelry, cops said. Thomas P. Costello / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s not clear how the thieves first got into the mall, which closes at 9 p.m.

Toms River Police Chief Mitchell Little told The Post there have been no updates in the investigation as of Friday night.

The Post has reached out to Venzio Jewelers for comment.