Three armed suspects made off with about $118,000 in jewelry after forcing their way into an East New York home on Friday night, according to police. Officers say a 31-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman answered the door for someone they believed was a cleaning worker, only to be pushed back inside as the trio stormed in.
The robbery unfolded just before 9:30 p.m. near Vandalia and Fountain avenues, when a woman claiming to be from a cleaning agency knocked on the door, police told News 12 Brooklyn. Once the door opened, two men and the woman allegedly forced their way inside and headed straight for a bedroom.
Investigators say the group grabbed roughly $118,000 worth of jewelry, along with wallets, a purse and credit cards, bringing the total reported loss to around $122,000, News 12 Brooklyn reports. The suspects then ran south on Fountain Avenue toward Seaview Avenue.
Police described the woman as wearing a black jacket, white T-shirt, black pants, a black hat and black sneakers. One man was seen in a dark jacket and hat, and the other was wearing a multicolored blue sweatshirt.
How They Got In
Police say the cleaning-worker story was the key to getting the victims to open the door, a tactic that has detectives reminding New Yorkers to be extra sure of who they are buzzing in. Local outlets quickly picked up the police advisory; BK Reader published a brief rundown that tracked the same timeline and details from the official account.
Investigators are asking anyone who lives or works around Vandalia and Fountain avenues to review home security or building camera footage from around 9:30 p.m. Friday and share anything that might help identify the suspects.
A Pattern of Jewelry-Targeting Raids
Police say the East New York home invasion fits into a broader pattern of break-ins across the city where thieves go straight for jewelry and other high-value personal items. In a high-profile Kew Gardens case last year, burglars tied up residents and stole more than $1 million in valuables, according to CBS New York.
Those kinds of cases have prompted warnings from both law enforcement and neighborhood groups, who urge residents to be cautious about opening doors for unannounced workers and to keep an eye on doorbell or motion-activated security camera footage.
How to Help
Anyone with information about the East New York robbery is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online, or use the Crime Stoppers mobile app, according to the NYPD. Tips can be submitted anonymously and may be eligible for a reward, the department notes.
No arrests have been announced, and detectives continue to investigate the case, News 12 Brooklyn reports. Residents who saw anything suspicious or who have relevant camera footage are urged to contact Crime Stoppers or their local precinct.
