HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Huntersville police were trying to figure out who used a vehicle to crash into a jewelry store in Birkdale Village early Tuesday morning.
Officers told Channel 9 that a van backed into Fink’s off of Birkdale Commons Parkway before 5 a.m. to get inside and steal merchandise.
The vehicle smashed the front doors, shattering the glass.
Investigators said it was unclear what was stolen but a store employee told Channel 9 there were a couple of items missing, including pieces from the popular David Yurman collection.
Officers said that they were alerted by the store's alarms but that the vehicle was gone by the time they arrived.
The store sits below several apartments but police said none of the residents witnessed anything.
That doesn't surprise Birkdale Village resident Kelly Holland.
"You have a lot of deliveries and dumpsters going at that hour," she said. "There's a lot of commotion in the morning."
Detectives dusted for fingerprints on the doors and collected evidence inside the store and told Channel 9 they were looking for clues on the surveillance footage as well.
Officials said there was one security guard on duty to patrol Birkdale Village overnight. However, they were at a different part of the property when the crime occurred.
Residents and shoppers were shocked such a crime could happen here.
"I wouldn't expect it at Birkdale," Emma Best said. "You have security around here pretty regularly."
Others wondered why the stores, including Fink’s, don’t have better security.
“We thought they would have a little more security,” Holland said. “Like bars in the windows like they have at the mall, but I guess it was an easy target.”
Huntersville police said the area is generally safe. According to their crime-mapping software, there has been one other store burglary at Birkdale Village in the past six months.
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