Wilkesboro police are investigating the robbery of a local jewelry store. It happened about 5:30 yesterday afternoon at Brand's Jewelry, in the Wal-Mart shopping center. A man came into the store and asked for one of the employees, who did not happen to be working at the time. Another clerk talked with the man, who wanted to look at diamond rings and a loose diamond on display in the store. She got out two rings and the diamond he asked to look at, and then he asked her to look up the prices on them, because he was comparison shopping. The clerk carried the rings and the diamond with her to the computer and checked the prices, but when she returned, the man made a grab for her hand, yanking the rings off her fingers and the loose diamond from her hand. Then he ran from the store, without making any threats to the other employees, and hopped in a black Honda. That car was involved in a hit-and-run wreck in front of McDonald's as it sped away. The man hasn't been seen since.



The loose diamond alone was valued at 14-thousand, 500 dollars. The rings, which were diamonds set in white gold, were valued at 5-thousand dollars and 35-hundred dollars. Total loss is 23-thousand dollars. The thief is described as a black man of unknown age, about 6-1 and 185 pounds. He was wearing a tan jacket and hat.

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