Intricate Nature of Toms River Jewelry Heist Revealed; TRPD Has Leads

Police Lights (Photo: Jason Rojas/Flickr)

A million-dollar jewelry heist in Toms River was undoubtedly professionally planned, with police on Tuesday releasing details of the length the perpetrators went to steal goods without detection.

The burglary occurred at Venzio Jewelers in the Ocean County Mall sometime between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m. Thursday, March 27-28. The suspects remain at large.

On Tuesday, police released some key details that explain the professional nature of the jewel thieves:

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• There were no pry marks or evidence of forced entry into the vacant adjacent store rear door. This door leads directly to the exterior of the mall. Initial investigating officers observed the door to be closed but unlocked.
• Entry was made into the Venzio office by cutting a hole through a wall separating the jewelry store and vacant store.
• Police confirm that the suspect(s) took actions to avoid detection while inside the Venzio office. Sprinkler heads were covered with tape and rags were placed on bottom of door in an apparent attempt to minimize smoke exposure into the showroom when a blow torch was used to breach the store’s safe.
• The alarm panel was ripped off the wall and deactivated.
• A door of the safe was compromised, apparently by using a torch.

According to a statement from Lt. Gene Bachonski, after doing a canvass of the area, police have obtained surveillance video and have identified “vehicles of interest” in the case. Police said they could not release the video or descriptions of the vehicles since the investigation is still underway.