Still photo taken from surveillance video at McLean Jewelry in Cayucos shows one of two men who burglarized the store on May 15, rummaging through a drawer and stuffing items into a plastic bag. Submitted photo.
A Cayucos jewelry store was recently the victim of a smash and grab burglary, leaving the owner to clean up the pieces of a shattered sense of security.
McLean Jewelry, located in an historic little shop at 180 N. Ocean Ave., was burglarized on Friday, May 15.
The front glass door was shattered and two men wearing (COVID) masks entered the store and stole about $5,000 worth of jewelry and materials. The shattered glass door cost another $500.
According to the time stamp on the video from the store’s security system that captured the crime in progress, it happened at 9:54 p.m.
Submitted photo
Downtown Cayucos, at that time, is usually quiet but not deserted, as there are restaurants and a busy bar open across the street. It’s possible that someone may have seen or heard something on that Friday night.
The two men are seen entering the store and the back area where Tim McLean creates his jewelry pieces. Both are wearing baseball caps, hoodies, jeans and running shoes. One is wearing dark clothing, and has black shoes with white soles. The other is wearing lighter clothing.
The video is in color but lighting is poor and actual colors are difficult to make out, but the lighter clothing appears to be either light blue or gray.
Both men are wearing gloves and the one in dark clothing is shown opening drawers and stuffing items into what looks like a large plastic bag, possibly a freezer bag.
McLean found the damage and loss the next morning and spent hours cleaning up the shattered glass and fixing the door.
Cayucos is normally a very quiet little town, and serious crimes like this are rare. And for a small business like McLean Jewelry, it’s heart breaking.
The McLean burglary happened about two weeks after a burglary in Downtown Templeton at the end of April.
According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department, a burglar alarm went off at 3:15 a.m. April 30 at the Upscale Resale store, located at 590 S. Main St., Templeton.
Arriving deputies said the store’s front entrance double doors had been forced open. The owner soon arrived, and surveillance video showed the suspect was wearing a black baseball cap, zip-up gray hooded sweater, black jeans and a black ski mask and gloves.
The suspect, who has not been identified, was captured on camera rummaging through the business, holding several articles of clothing taken off racks, opening drawers and taking purses off the walls.
The suspect left in a white truck that appeared to be a newer, GMC Canyon with running boards.
If readers have any information about the McLean Jewelry burglary or the burglary at Upscale Resale call Crime Stoppers at 805-549-7867.
