$18,000 ring snatched from Kelowna pawn shop

KELOWNA – A local pawn shop says a customer snatched an $18,000 ring and ran out the door last week.

Shortly before noon on Friday, May 12, an employee of Premier Jewellery and Loans was showing a ring to a man they thought was a customer.

The ring, worth $18,000, is kept in a locked showcase, according to owner Martin Strasser.

"The entire store is under high definition video surveillance and clients must be buzzed in," Strasser says in an email. "Unfortunately we didn't anticipate someone stealing something with their full face on display."

The suspect was wearing a grey Nike hoodie, black track pants and a red baseball hat.

"Security was pretty tight before, it's being clamped down even more now," Strasser says.

If you know anything about this crime, or any other crime, call the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers’ anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS or visit the website at www.crimestoppers.net.    Your information will be kept confidential and could lead to a reward of up to $2,000.00.

— This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. May 19, 2017 with information from Martin Strasser.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.