Wielding an circular saw and a thirst for precious metals, a brazen burglary crew tried to break into the safe at a St. Augustine coin shop last week, The Citizen has learned.
Silver Dollar City co-owner Caleb Jarrard said two to three individuals entered an adjoining nail salon around 10:40 p.m. Friday night by clipping the lock on a rear door with a circular saw.
The suspects then moved through the business at Lewis Point Plaza on U.S. 1 and attempted to break through a wall directly into Jarrard’s shop.
Wearing dark clothing, the bandits had apparently cased the location of the coin emporium’s primary safe, targeting sheetrock directly behind it.
But after clearing the drywall, they were unexpectedly confronted with concrete.
“They tried to chisel through it and hammer at it until they gave up,” Jarrard said. “It was crazy as hell.”
After more than three hours, the suspects abandoned the heist and left the scene around 1:55 a.m.
Jarrard said he believes the surging value of precious metals may have spurred the attempted burglary, adding that local dealers are now on high alert.
“I 100 percent believe that,” he said. “People want to get their hands on it.”
Last January, gold was valued at roughly $1,900 an ounce and has since climbed to about $5,200. Silver has also surged, rising from around $30 to $115 an ounce during the same period.
Police are investigating the break-in, and Jarrard told The Citizen he has since invested in a new safe and additional sensors designed to detect unusual sounds, such as breaking glass or loud banging.
Jarrard theorized that the suspects likely opted to enter through the salon because it had less security than his store.
Surveillance video captured portions of the incident, showing at least two people — and possibly three — attempting to breach the premises.
Jarrard noted that the crew arrived at the scene on mopeds, with one suspect audibly warning an accomplice about the presence of a camera during the intrusion.
“That camera is about to get you, man,” he tells his partner.
WITH 180,000 LOCAL READERS A MONTH, WE ARE ARE ST. JOHNS COUNTY’S NEWS LEADER.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO STAY IN THE KNOW.
HAVE A TIP OR COVERAGE REQUEST? LET US KNOW HERE.
