FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
A gold necklace may make you look more attractive but it's also a magnet for thieves. Southeast Fresno has seen ten cases of gold jewelry snatching in the past month. Thieves are bold and they strike within seconds.
Surveillance video from the Git 'n Go market at Tulare and Peach in Southeast Fresno shows just how fast a person can get ripped off. The grab and run took less than 30 seconds.
Gerald Kane was taken into custody by Fresno Police on a theft charge. Melinda Soto who lives in Southeast Fresno intends to put up her guard. "If anything I say women should buy tasers if they know these incidents are going on they should just buy tasers. I'm gonna buy a taser myself cause I know it's dangerous out here."
Rosie Cazares was shocked to hear jewelry snatching is taking place in her neighborhood. "That's scary, very scary especially around here cause I'm always around here. That's not good. I also see a lot of women wearing jewelry who shop here cause I work here."
With gold prices soaring over the past decade, cash for gold shops have popped up all over Fresno. Some specialize in just gold while other shops consider it a sideline business. To sell your gold established shops require identification and a thumb print. They also share the pawn or cash transaction with Fresno Police. Lastly they hold every item for 30 days giving police time to see if anything is stolen.
But one shop owner told me it's easy to sell gold jewelry over the Internet, no questions asked. Thieves are always determined to find an outlet. Rozie Cazares says it's a sign of the times. "I think people are doing it because the economy is bad and they're just trying to find a way to get money so they're doing whatever they can."
Fresno Police aren't telling women to stop wearing gold but they are warning them to stay alert.
As we saw in the surveillance video, a jewelry snatch only takes seconds.
