A jewelry store in Simi Valley, California, has reported the theft of approximately $2 million in merchandise and cash after intruders gained access through an adjoining business.
According to the store owner and local police, the suspects entered 5 Star Jewelry and Repair by breaching the roof and a shared wall with Dr. Conkey’s Candy & Coffee.
Entry Through Shared Structure
Security footage from Dr. Conkey’s Candy & Coffee shows a masked individual crawling along the floor, apparently to avoid motion sensors, before disabling a security camera by spray-painting the lens. According to candy shop owner Ted Mackel, the suspects entered through the roof above the restroom and then drilled through a wall separating the two businesses.
“You can see the plywood back behind,” Mackel said, referring to the point of entry.
Once inside the jewelry store, the suspects accessed the safe and removed its entire contents.
Merchandise and Client-Owned Items Taken
Store owner Jonathan Youssef said the individuals appeared to have planned the break-in in advance.
“They were professional,” Youssef said. “They must have cased the store.”
He recalled the moment he and his father realized the full extent of the theft.
“And then I just kept saying open the safe, open the safe, and when he opened the safe, that’s when he almost collapsed,” Youssef said.
The stolen items included gold jewelry, watches, and pieces left by customers for repair. The losses included both store inventory and client-owned items.
“The worst part about the loss of property that we had was the customers that we built up over that same period have entrusted us with their heirloom jewelry to repair and unfortunately, some of that jewelry, all of that jewelry was stolen,” Youssef said.
He described the personal financial toll: “Was enough for them to drill through and take everything that we have including my dad’s retirement, including my future, every single thing that we had.”
As of the time of reporting, Simi Valley Police Department has not released any information about the suspects. The investigation remains open.
