Early morning heist at Simpson’s Jewelers

Four masked men stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Simpson’s Jewelers in South Lake Tahoe.

They used a sledgehammer to gain access to the South Lake Tahoe store in the Raley’s center near Stateline.

“We believe the truck was stolen from another location and used to commit the smash and grab,” Police Chief Brian Uhler told Lake Tahoe News. “It suggests a higher level of sophistication with the planning.”

The truck is believed to be a Ford F250.

The burglary occurred in the early morning of April 29. The incident was caught on videotape. The suspects were in the store for less than five minutes.

“We are trying to clean it up here and get the inventory done,” a store employee told Lake Tahoe News.

The exact value of the goods taken has not been determined. However, the more expensive product is stored in safes.

Detectives will look to see if there is a link between the Tahoe heist and the March burglary at Devon’s Jewelers in the Meadowood Mall in Reno.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at 530.542.6100.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report