Erika Sherk
Northern News Services
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Gail Probe said she could not believe it when she realized jewelry had been stolen from her store for the second time in time in a week.

"I told (my husband) and he turned just white as a ghost," she said.

Gail and her husband John Probe have owned Eldonn Jewellery in the YK Centre for a year and a half without incident. Now the store has had jewelry shoplifted twice in seven days, racking up a total loss of up to $23,000.

On Feb. 21, a tray of 20 rings was stolen from a front showcase. On Feb. 28, two bangles were taken. Every piece was made of Yellowknife gold. Everything came from the same glass case at the front of the store.

John Probe said both thefts took place during the day while he was in the store. At the time, he would do laser engraving in his office, off to the side of the small store. The machine is noisy, he said, and can make it hard to hear if a quiet person is browsing.

The machine is now out in the open.

John said his theory is that the thief came in, pretended to look around, "jimmied the lock," and then returned later to remove the jewelry.

After the first theft, John noticed the rings missing from the case when he locked up for the night, said Gail. He thought she had moved them earlier, she said.

It wasn't until they checked the showcase the next morning that they realized the entire tray of gold and diamond rings had vanished, she said.

"I nearly had a heart attack," said Gail. She immediately called the RCMP.

Just over a week later, at 2 p.m they realized some bangles were gone.

"The first time I thought I didn't lock the showcase," said Gail. "The second time John had locked the showcase."

The duo is now investing in security equipment - cameras, a motion-sensor doorbell, and new locks for all the showcases.

"We don't want to give them the opportunity to get away so easily next time," said John. "I think we were sort of comfortable," added Gail Probe, "all the people are nice here."

The couple figures the new security measures will have cost them close to $5,000. It was an expensive week, said Gail. They're still in the process of deciding whether to make an insurance claim or just swallow the cost of the missing treasures.

"We don't know what we're going to do yet," she said.

The twice-violated showcase no longer houses jewelry. Now pieces of local art sit where gold once gleamed.

They have learned their lesson, said John. They also said they hope the thief will be brought to justice. John got a glimpse of the man they think made off with the bangles, he said. RCMP are comparing witness descriptions of the possible suspect with surveillance camera footage from the mall's cameras, said Const. Roxanne Dreilich.

And if he returns to the jewelry shop, "we know who he is," said Gail.