Shattered glass was still scattered on the ground at Diamonds Direct in Flushing, Queens Tuesday.
Thieves — including one pretending to be an Amazon worker — were seen on surveillance allegedly assaulting a 79-year-old woman who was watching the store for her daughter after she stepped out for lunch.
The thieves made off with $1.1 million in jewelry.
What You Need To Know
- Thieves allegedly assaulted a 79-year-old woman and stole $1.1 million in jewelry at a Queens store
- One thief pretended to be an Amazon worker
- The woman was pistol-whipped by one man, viscously kicked by both, and dragged across the floor, causing severe bruising and a blood clot in her head
- The NYPD said there’s been 11 jewelry robberies so far this year and is offering businesses tips and services to help protect themselves
The owner, who did not want to give her name, says she’s terrified and partly blames herself for leaving her mother alone.
“She thought the delivery guy left already, but they were hiding by the corner. They were observing her and waited when she came out to pick up the parcel,” said the store owner. “She told me the criminal used gun to her head, forcing her to open the safe”
Police say it happened around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday of last week.
The woman was pistol-whipped by one man, viscously kicked by both, and dragged across the floor, causing severe bruising and a blood clot in her head.
“She was terrified, and there are bruises all over her body. She took a sleeping pill, and she got nightmare woke up many times so my doctor suggest to schedule PTSD appointment” said the store owner about her mother.
NYPD said in addition to the two men who assaulted the women, two others are believed to be lookouts. All entered what’s believed to be a dark-colored Mercedes-Benz leaving the scene.
The store owner says her business has been at this location since 2014. She believes the thieves were professionals who called the previous day about a scheduled Amazon delivery.
“They scheduled a delivery, make sure you are on your premises — you open your door and they will come to make a fake delivery,” said the owner. “It could happen to anybody, older people, parents, kids at home. You’re expecting a delivery on Amazon, UPS, maybe Con Edison, the people dressed in uniform,”
She said this is the first time her store was robbed.
But since the pandemic, she said many of the tenants in the business complex have been victims of theft multiple times. The NYPD saying there’s been 11 jewelry robberies so far this year. They provided tips local businesses can use to increase security measures.
“We’re asking the businesses to make it a condition of entry that people should show their face, that they identify themselves. If they feel like they want to put their mask back on after they identify themselves for safety. Pre-pandemic, most businesses wouldn't allow you to walk in with a mask and latex gloves on,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said.
The store owner is an immigrant from Taiwan who said she’s been living in the city for 24 years now and while she doesn’t plan on leaving this Flushing neighborhood, she might leave the business all together.
“I’m still thinking whether I’m going to do this business because I’m afraid myself this will probably happen again, so I’m thinking about that maybe moving to another location. A safer location,” she said.
NYPD is also offering local business security surveys where trained officers will come on site to assess security vulnerabilities at the location.
Authorities are still looking for those responsible for this robbery and are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.