Bay Area/ San Francisco/ Crime & Emergencies
Published on June 24, 2016
SFPD, Shop Owner Seek Help Finding Suspects In $2 Million-Plus Jewelry Heist [Updated]Photo: Google Maps

SFPD is asking the public for help in locating two suspects who stole millions of dollars in merchandise from a Union Square jewelry store in the wee hours of Thursday morning. The store's owner is also appealing for help—and offering a $25,000 reward.

An SFPD press release says the heist happened around 3:44am yesterday, June 23rd, at a jewelry store on the 100 block of O’Farrell Street. Surveillance showed two suspects entering and loading jewelry cases into a duffel bag before escaping with the merchandise. The initial police report says more than $500,000 in jewelry was taken.

Peng "Paul" Zhou, owner of Grace Jewelers at 121 O'Farrell St., confirmed with us that his store was burglarized. He's still going through inventory, but he estimates he lost about $2 to $4 million of jewelry in roughly 11 or 12 minutes.

"We actually have a pretty good video of the suspects, so we are trying to spread the word, because we're not the only store that was burglarized," he said. "We sense that there is a rising trend here."

Update, 6/25: Zhou provided the video:

Video: Courtesy Peng "Paul" Zhou


SFPD has released photos of the two suspects from the video. According to the press release, "the first suspect is an adult male with a dreadlock hair style, wearing a dark color jacket, tan pants and white shoes. The second suspect is an adult male, wearing a dark colored 'hoodie' which is pulled up over his head." A third photo shows a dark gray Ford sedan used in the crime.

Photos: Courtesy of SFPD

"We are unfortunately not insured, so we're not going to be OK," Zhou told us. "We would like to get help from the community from people who may know the suspect. We will offer a reward to anyone who has tips that may lead to the capture of the suspects."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department’s Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444, or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with "SFPD."