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Paterson Jewelers Criticize Police Response to $1.5 Million Gold Burglary [Video] May 30, 2023 (1 comment)

Paterson, N.J.--CCTV footage revealed a gang of thieves making off with several cases of gold jewelry from a store. According to a CBS report, the store's longstanding proprietors expressed their insecurity and accused the local police of an inadequate response.

[Image via CBS]

Per the report, security camera footage from the Ramadan Jewelry Company on Getty Avenue, timestamped at approximately 4:30 a.m. on May 17, showed the shop's front gate being lifted.

The report noted that one suspect blocked a ring camera while another shattered the front door's glass. Following this, individuals disguised in construction vests and safari hats stormed in and wreaked havoc.

"They took all my rings," said manager Nancy Ramadan in the report. "And then they took everything that was in here. It was heavier sets." 

Nancy reported that the thieves escaped with gold valued at over $1.5 million.

"We feel violated. They came to our home, and they stole our goods, this hard earned money," said Sanan Ramadan, an employee, per the report.

The nearby family stated that they were alerted by the store's alarm.

"The entire neighborhood heard the sirens, the alarms, and everyone came out," Sanan Ramadan added in the report. "They saw a U-Haul truck and people wearing normal clothes, and they expected that people were moving!?"

"We are doing more investigating than the cops," Ramadan added in the report. 

Although law enforcement has retrieved one car related to the incident, the detective tasked with the case has allegedly remained unreachable since the previous Friday, as per Nancy's account.

"There should be a police car over here or walking the way they do on Main Street, all the time," Ramadan noted in the report. "We don't go on walks at night anymore because it's scary."

The spokesperson for the Paterson Police Department defended their actions, stating in the report that the officers examined the video onsite and are working on following investigatory leads. "The department has reviewed the police response and has found it to be appropriate," the spokesperson said, per the report.

Check out the entire CBS report here.

Watch the incident video below.