A duo who used a toddler as a distraction at Antique Marketplace reportedly carried out a jewelry theft, resulting in a loss of nearly $10,000 at the downtown Auburn business, according to the owner.
Carly Willis, the owner of Antique Marketplace, 1809 Howard Road, Suite B, said the couple, including a woman with a toddler, reportedly came into her business and stole nearly $10,000 of jewelry on Dec. 12.
Willis alleges there was a male who wedged a screwdriver to lift the glass covering on the jewelry case, while a female with a toddler on her shoulders had the child utilize a phone making a loud noise to cover up the noise of the actions. The owner said from what she understood, the jewelry was quickly lost because it was used to buy drugs.
Willis said nearly all of the jewelry was stolen from the case, and because it was mostly gold jewelry, the amount lost was around $10,000. Willis said the business always bounces back from setbacks, but she wants to tell people who think about stealing from Antique Marketplace that she will participate in prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. She said this theft is a big hit, especially during the holiday season.
“She used her and her child as a block, basically, so we couldn’t see what was happening in the case,” Willis said. “So, they’re good at what they’re doing, which is unfortunate. I saw bits of her record, and it shows she has done stuff like this before, but it’s just unfortunate they ended up using their child.”
Willis said similar crimes had happened before, so she wasn’t surprised, but it was sad more than anything. Willis said that as a small business owner, she would like to see more justice for herself and other small business owners. She said small businesses have a hard enough time surviving, but it is even harder when people steal or cause property damage, like businesses seen downtown with broken windows.
Regarding the toddler, Willis said she would like to see the child be in a safer spot.
“I just wish people would think twice before they do stupid stuff like this because I guarantee the amount of time that they’re going to end up serving or the fines they’re going to end up paying is not worth it,” Willis said. “It’s not worth the drug high that he got.”
Female charged
On Dec. 16 in King County Superior Court, the female who played a role in this incident was charged with felony theft in the third degree for the theft of property that exceeded $5,000, according to charging documents. Video footage shows the female standing in front of the male who used a screwdriver to open the glass containing the jewelry, according to documents. The documents added that the video footage showed that the pair faced each other as the theft was initiated and appeared to be conversing.
The documents state that the female initially denied knowing that a theft occurred, but then she said the male in the video had the jewelry. She said when she saw that he was stealing, she walked away, though she then stated that she gave him a ride to and from the store.
Auburn Police Department spokesperson Kolby Crossley said the department is still actively investigating the male, but he is not in custody yet. However, he said they’re still working on it and are following leads.
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