Florida Robbery

Article from Pensacola News Journal 4/8/08:

Burglars broke into businesses on Barrancas and Ninth avenues early Monday and made off with jewelry and coins valued at thousands of dollars.

The break-ins at Warrington Jewelers in the 4000 block of Barrancas and at the All American Coin and Jewelry Company in the 6000 block of North Ninth were reported less than an hour apart.

In both burglaries, glass door entrances were smashed along with showcases inside the stores.

The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is investigating. Lt. Rex Blackburn said it appears the break-ins were related.

Deputies were called to Warrington Jewelers at 3:40 a.m.

Owner Steve Smothers said gold chains and earrings were taken from the business. He couldn't immediately place a value on the stolen items.

Smothers said his business usually opens about 9 a.m. but didn't open Monday until about 1 p.m.

Smothers said he spent the day cleaning up broken glass and taking inventory.

"We had no loss of customer merchandise that was in the store for repair," he said.

The burglary at American Coin and Jewelry was reported to deputies at 4:20 a.m.

Three masked men carrying bags can be seen on the store's surveillance system pulling up in a car and then using a hammer to smash the glass door, owner Bob Bruce said.

The men broke a display case, took coins and also rummaged through the back of the store, Bruce said.

"They got ($15,000) to $20,000 worth of stuff," he said.


Owner Bob Bruce of All American Coins and Jewelry Company on Ninth Ave. holds trays of foreign coins with shattered glass in them. Thieves smashed the front door and a display case stealing coins at the business




A surveillance camera at the All American Coins and Jewelry Company on Ninth Ave. shows three thieves breaking into the store early Monday morning.