Avi & Co., a high-end retailer in Hunter Plaza in the 600 block of East Cooper Avenue in downtown Aspen, was robbed early Monday morning by at least five men using torches, hammers, saws and crowbars. became a person. said the store manager.
Early Monday morning, a group of five men armed with torches, saws, drills, hammers and crowbars broke into a downtown store selling luxury watches and jewelry, but when Aspen police arrived in response to a burglary alert, they panicked. There were a lot of people.
Monday afternoon, according to testimony provided by the manager of Avi & Co., 602 E. Cooper Ave.
The store manager said he responded to the store around 1:30 a.m. after the alarm went off. After reviewing the store’s surveillance footage and inspection of the premises, the manager said, “Nothing has been touched in the vault, but we’re still trying to determine what’s missing in the cabinets.” There are accessories like gift boxes, travel cases, and hats, but nothing is as valuable as what’s in storage. ”
The manager asked that his name not be used because he is a witness in a criminal investigation. Aspen police confirmed the robbery, but details were limited. Assistant Police Chief Bill Linn said no arrests were made.
“Officers responded and interrupted the robbery in progress,” Lin said, adding that APD is responding to the incident with a “very aggressive investigation.”
Lin said the details of the case were “deliberately vague” because the investigation was ongoing, but he did provide some information.
“At this time, based on the investigation we are conducting, we do not believe the suspect is a local resident,” he said.
He called on businesses to remain vigilant.
“This case, like many successfully solved cases, required not only video surveillance to be absolutely key to the reconstruction, but also having a good alarm system and updating the police with contact information when the alarm went off. It’s also important that we can contact you,” Lin said.
These issues were not a factor in the Avi & Company case, he said.
Lin said APD devotes “significant resources” to investigating organized robberies. The store manager said the suspects disabled the store’s motion sensors with spray paint, shut off the building’s electricity, and returned to the crime scene about an hour after police left.
“The police came – they couldn’t get in until I got here – so they stood by and the culprits left, but then maybe an hour or two or more. It looks like they came back through the hole they drilled to see if the crime had been committed.”You can get whatever you want,” the manager said.
He said video surveillance showed them returning to the storefront, noting that the robbers had disabled the alarm after it went off during the initial break-in. It didn’t seem like they had succeeded in stealing anything on the second visit, but the director said he was still assessing the situation.
The robbers, all wearing hoodies or masks and speaking Spanish, entered the store by breaching the former Mezzaluna space, which is being converted into a new restaurant, the manager said. Avi & Co. is located in Hunter Plaza, which combines retail, dining, and office space.
“They broke through and got into the restaurant, which is currently under construction behind our back,” the manager said. “They broke into the restaurant, and once they entered the restaurant, they entered the gallery, which is wall-to-wall, and from the gallery wall they entered our wall and just into the back office of the store. They search for valuable merchandise. Thankfully, as usual, they were all locked in the vault. But they turned off the power and spray painted the alarm system. All electrical terminals connected to it have been shut off.
He added: “They had torches, saws, impact drills, hammers and crowbars.”
The Aspen store opened earlier this year and joins Avi & Company stores in Miami and New York. The company is a retailer of luxury watches and other luxury accessories. Some watches sell for more than $400,000.
“At our new store in Aspen, Colorado, we offer a variety of unique, custom-made diamond jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Our glass displays feature pieces from Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, and more. Famous watches from Audemars Piguet, Rolex and more,” Avi’s website states.
