A thief jumped over a Lake Oswego, Ore., jewelry counter and
stole an undetermined amount of items Jan. 3.

Lake Oswego Police Lt. Doug Treat tells JCK that a male
waked into Kassab Jewelers at approximately 2 p.m. and distracted a sales clerk
by asking to see specific jewelry from the display cases at the front of the
store. As the clerk walked toward the store entrance, the suspect jumped over
the counter and grabbed a box of jewelry from inside the store safe.

The suspect was last seen running from the store with a box
containing the jewelry that reportedly had several loose diamonds inside.

“This person clearly knew what they were doing and what they
were looking for,” Treat says. He says he believes the thief may be related to
the business itself, either an ex-employee or a friend of an employee.

The safe is viewable from the showroom and Treat says the
theft could have been avoided if the safe was placed elsewhere in the store. “I
would say: Don’t have the safe viewable from the showroom floor and don’t leave
it open.”

Treat says the incident was the fourth of its kind
metro-wide in Oregon. “Our suspect does not appear to be related to the two
other suspects.”

Police obtained photos and video from the scene and are
conducting an investigation.

JCK