Thieves cut power, steal $520k in gold and jewelry from West Allis jeweler
A recently unsealed search warrant illustrates a jewelry store heist at JP Haase in West Allis. In September, thieves cut power to the store on Highway 100 and Greenfield Avenue. On Sept. 16, the warrant states, the thieves cut the power to the business. On Sept. 18, surveillance video from nearby businesses showed them hoisting things onto the roof with a rope and walking out of the business with a suitcase or toolbox and roughly $520,000 worth of jewelry and gold.Investigators say the suspects in the same blue Toyota RAV 4 also turned off the power at Treiber and Straub Jewelers in Brookfield. Though, in that case, no damage was done, and no entry was made. The business owner, the warrant states, requested more patrols due to a similar burglary at the business in 2016. While investigating the case, the warrant states, West Allis detectives connected the suspect’s vehicle to a similar high-end heist of more than $380,000 in jewelry and Louis Vuitton bags from a home in Glendora, California. That burglary happened on Aug. 27. Glendora police declined an interview, saying the case was still active. The RAV 4 was rented from a small California rental company, the warrant states. The rental company’s owner tells 12 News she was contacted by West Allis police and that crimes using rental cars have been happening more often recently. West Allis Police declined to comment, saying the investigation is still open and no suspects have been arrested.The warrant, filed in October and unsealed in early January, is for location data for devices at the scene of the burglary in West Allis and when the power was cut off in West Allis and in Brookfield.FBI agents also used location data to solve a similar $7 million heist from Treiber and Straub Jewelers in 2016. In that case, three people took more than $7 million in jewelry, diamonds, watches and more. The group cut communications lines, removed exterior light bulbs, sprayed foam into external alarms and broke open the back door. In 2022, James P. Quinn, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison for that burglary.
A recently unsealed search warrant illustrates a jewelry store heist at JP Haase in West Allis. In September, thieves cut power to the store on Highway 100 and Greenfield Avenue.
On Sept. 16, the warrant states, the thieves cut the power to the business. On Sept. 18, surveillance video from nearby businesses showed them hoisting things onto the roof with a rope and walking out of the business with a suitcase or toolbox and roughly $520,000 worth of jewelry and gold.
Investigators say the suspects in the same blue Toyota RAV 4 also turned off the power at Treiber and Straub Jewelers in Brookfield. Though, in that case, no damage was done, and no entry was made. The business owner, the warrant states, requested more patrols due to a similar burglary at the business in 2016.
While investigating the case, the warrant states, West Allis detectives connected the suspect’s vehicle to a similar high-end heist of more than $380,000 in jewelry and Louis Vuitton bags from a home in Glendora, California. That burglary happened on Aug. 27. Glendora police declined an interview, saying the case was still active.
The RAV 4 was rented from a small California rental company, the warrant states. The rental company’s owner tells 12 News she was contacted by West Allis police and that crimes using rental cars have been happening more often recently.
West Allis Police declined to comment, saying the investigation is still open and no suspects have been arrested.
The warrant, filed in October and unsealed in early January, is for location data for devices at the scene of the burglary in West Allis and when the power was cut off in West Allis and in Brookfield.
FBI agents also used location data to solve a similar $7 million heist from Treiber and Straub Jewelers in 2016.
In that case, three people took more than $7 million in jewelry, diamonds, watches and more. The group cut communications lines, removed exterior light bulbs, sprayed foam into external alarms and broke open the back door.
In 2022, James P. Quinn, of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to four years and seven months in prison for that burglary.
