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Aspen, CO--Four men were arrested in connection with an attempted burglary at Avi & Co., a jewelry store in Aspen. Suspects allegedly tunneled through two walls of nearby businesses to reach the store. According to The Aspen Times, Aspen Police, with assistance from Vail police, detained the men in Vail and transferred them to Pitkin County Jail.

[Representative image via istockphoto.com]

Two of the suspects, aged 34 and 41 from Peru and Buenos Aires, face felony charges of second-degree burglary, while the other two, both Chilean nationals aged 35 and 43, face felony charges of conspiracy to commit burglary, The Aspen Times reported.

Assistant Police Chief Bill Linn commended the officers' work, noting their vigilance in identifying the situation.

The Aspen Times reported that the suspects used saws, settling torches, crowbars, and gas tanks to breach walls between Wayan, an Indonesian restaurant under construction, and Forré Fine Art gallery to access the jewelry store's back office. Despite their efforts, no items were taken as they failed to open the store's vault. Employees confirmed that valuable items were untouched, including $400,000 watches and art worth over $1 million.

Raphael Derly, owner of Wayan, told The Aspen Times that the suspects entered through the restaurant's secured doors, which showed no signs of forced entry. The report noted that store employees said the suspects disabled the jewelry store's alarm and returned multiple times during the night. 

According to The Aspen Times, surveillance footage and modern technology were key in identifying the suspects. The men reportedly spray-painted security cameras and blocked gallery windows with foam panels. Officers responding to the alarm noted a moved ladder, signaling further activity.

Learn more in this report by The Aspen Times.