Victim of multiple theft blames Cash for Gold scheme (Letter to the Editor)
Letter to the Editor - Friday, March 16th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Dear Editor,
This past Wednesday 14th of March, 2012 I became a victim of theft for the 4th time in the past 1.5 years.
On the first occasion I had my wallet and all my ID stolen from my vehicle by an individual I gave a ride home to. The three subsequent occasions my apartment was burglarized.
The first time they stole my electronic items, including a laptop, several cell phones and an ipod. The second occasion (and a different apartment) they stole my gold jewelry that had much sentimental meaning to me. The value of the items exceeded $10,000. I later learned from the thief himself that he sold the jewelry for a mere $400 to a local fence. To the best of my knowledge these fences are still operating in and around Tortola.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE STOLEN ITEMS
This past week the burglar(s) found my last remaining gold pieces, a 14K gold Gucci mariner link chain and a vintage ladies Gucci watch which had a red leather band.
I guess the burglar(s) were frustrated at discovering minimal gold in my and my neighbor’s apartments (which they ransacked by the way). They changed their modus operandi and stole several of my silver pieces. The stolen chains are David Yurman. Two are silver box cut chains. One is approximately 20” and the other is thicker and 16”. The third DY chain was a mobile silver and gold link chain. Also, the thieves stole a black onyx and silver David Yurman ring. All these pieces are unisex in nature.
A second ring of no great value was a silver and green colored stone with rhinestones surrounding the face. Like the black onyx ring this was a large bulky ring that a male may want to wear. The last item stolen is a piece made by the designer Sergio Gutierrez. It is a chain link cuff-like bracelet made of computer micro-chips.
I ask that you post this letter and the accompanying photos of most of the items as it came to my attention that there were young men selling jewelry items on a street corner here in Tortola last evening. It may be that some of your readers may have purchased one of my pieces or have seen a friend or family member selling or wearing a new item today. I would be willing to reimburse them the cost of whatever they paid for the items with no questions asked.
It is very frustrating to have the items you worked hard for and/or had gifted to you for significant life events, stolen from you. I doubt I even have to explain the feeling of violation you feel knowing that someone waited for you to leave for work, broke into your home and searched through your things.
I will soon be starting a petition to ask the government to cease from allowing Cash For Gold to conduct business here in the BVI. Many of us have been the victims of burglars searching for jewelry. Despite these particular thieves changing their spots and stealing silver pieces their goal was to strike gold.
I ask everyone who has experienced their home being burgled and who are worried about this increased trend in crime to sign this petition. Perhaps our signatures will speak for us and we can begin putting an end to having our homes staked out for crime.
Sincerely,
J. Lynch
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10 Comments
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My concolensces to your lost, I know its tough having something taken from you, which you spent hard earned money on
@lodger: How do you justify rentling a box in the bank when most women buy jewellery to wear not to lock up in a bank. When one leaves his/her home and takes the appropriate measures to secure their home, it is usually expected that you will return to a secure location with your belongings all in place. You seem to be justifying what happened by saying that she did not take the appropriate measures. Do you think she put the jewels in her window advertising that they were there? I think not. Why should anyone feel that their locked doors and windows is insufficient security? The police are aware that there are burglars in that area. There should have been a stronger police presence in the area. Maybe this would not have happened. I’m terribly sorry for J. Post the petition and my signature will be on it. Good luck getting the pieces back. I know how much they mean to you and how violated you must feel.
And person go take the law in their own hand cause if I catch any one of them in my darm house I will be there excuitioner because they nit go stop still we put some of them in there darm grave full stop talk that
Sorry for his/her losses, but I would have thought that after 3 previous burglaries they would have taken more precautions. Seems the thieves either missed these items before or the householder continued to buy expensive jewelry and not take steps to protect it (other than photographing the pieces). Banks have strong boxes to rent.
@Lodger, as the writer of this letter I thought you should know that I am a single professional woman. After several years of working for minimum wage I invested 13 years in education and training to obtain the credentials necessary to work in my desired career. I alone make my rent payments, my car payments. I alone pay all my living expenses. I’ve taken one vacation in 2o years. The only indulgence I have had is purchasing myself a birthday or Christmas gift, and since I love jewelry that has often been my gift of choice. The gold that was stolen last year were rings, necklaces and bracelets that I purchased over the last 27 years. My first paycheck earned I started payments on a pearl ring which was stolen. My wedding rings from a deceased husband were stolen. Gifts from my mother for graduating college and university and for obtaining my masters degree were stolen. Many of the pieces I purchased myself over months and years of layaway plans. These were all taken from me for a young man’s need to have a new part for his scooter. After all of my jeweled rings were stolen because they were set on a gold band I purchased 2 rings for myself this past Christmas. These are now gone because that morning I was in a rush and never put them on before I left for work. The David Yurman necklaces were always worn as a set and were left behind for the same reason. As for securing my home I close and lock every window and door. What more can I do other than purchase a mean dog that I have no time to care for?
The whole point of my letter to the editor was to enlighten people of the impact of the thefts occurring in their neighborhoods. Also, because I was tipped off to some young men selling stolen jewelry on a street corner, that tells me that people are willing to buy these goods. Perhaps, I hoped, that in connecting a victim to the goods that they would think twice about encouraging these thefts. If there are no customers to purchase stolen goods then there is no reason to steal!
As I said, you have my sympathies. Are you extremely unlucky? How many people have had 4 break ins in 18 months? Precious few I would think. Obvioulsy your precautions are not enough – at least you had the sense to photograph some items, so you must have thought you were susceptible. What about setting up a Neighbourhood Watch in your area – get the neighbours involved. You could buy a home safe and/or have it built into your wall. Here’s hoping you dont have another break in, but I wouldn’t bet on it, knowing some of the people who read or blog on here.
IT’s about time people started doing stuff like this in the media. This will definitely deter some criminals because nobody will want to buy their stuff if it’s plastered across the media. We need to take back our country. I can’t wait for the day I read someone catching one of these thieves in the act and chopping both hands off, put them in a bag, take it to the station and tell them take fingerprints and give he the charge for chopping the stealing hands off!!! iT’s absolutely ridiculous that in a place with so much opportunity to make money, people steal.
Clean 10 cars daily at $20 a pop and you’d be earning more in a day than many working in offices and TAX FREE! WTF is wrong with these people lately?
Gold has been sold for hundreds of years on the black market. Cash for Gold as far as i am aware at least has some kind of procedures in place. Shutting down the cash for gold will only take the sale of gold underground and therefore even harder to catch the perpatrators.
We need a drive against crime, we need stiffer sentences (and shaming the criminals with pictures of them everywhere or a sign outside their house), we need the public to talk about what they see and know and we need to police to step up the game.
@ Zeus, she did darlin, she said its Cash for Gold. one of the instances the thief himself told her. I agree with the petition, I will personally go around and seek signatures. The government can not pretend anymore that it’s not effecting the burglaries around here. It’s obvious even to a blind man. The police were informed about the selling of the objects and instead of jumping to it, they left it till they found no one there. Well done RVIPF. I know this young lady personally, and i know they stole her one and only hobby, designer jewellery. J don’t worry as I told WE WILL GET THEM BACK.
Name the damn fences for ALL to know! If I were to be burglarized I would be on dem fences like white on rice! These cops seem not to be to bothered in shutting down this black/grey market that is prevaillng in th VI. Alot of the unemployed men/boys hanging around the areas are the culprits. Seems to me we are fast becoming like the USVI where we will need security bars on windows and guard dogs inside residences. Sorry to hear that you have been victimized so often! I’ll keep my eyes out for your noticable pieces.
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