Getaway vehicle found, jewelry store robbers still on the run

PROVO — The owner of a jewelry store said he pleaded with armed thieves to spare his life and that of his son and a long-time employee.

"Money comes and money goes, but you can't pay me back life," said Jirair Kiladjian. The 54-year-old owner of Losee Jewelers had his hands and feet tied and his mouth and eyes covered with tape while robbers pillaged the cases throughout the store.

Kiladjian believes the men made off with nearly $500,000 in diamonds and gold.

His 20-year-old son, who runs the business, located at 2230 N. University Parkway, was also restrained and tied to the railing of the stairway, but was able to provide police with a description of the men believed to have robbed them Monday at about 6:30 p.m.

"I can't believe that such people live in Provo," Kiladjian said, adding that the family moved to Utah County from Lebanon two years ago, to enjoy the atmosphere there.

The search continued Tuesday for the three men police believe to be involved in the robbery.

Kiladjian said they entered the store just as any customer would.

"Lots of people come to the store and you don't know who they are," he said. "It looked normal."

Provo Police Sgt. Matt Siufanua said two of the would-be customers quickly pulled guns and pointed them at the clerk when another individual came into the store. Kiladjian, his son and a female employee were all tied up and told to remain quiet.

"Being tied up — having their eyes covered, their mouths covered with duct tape — very terrifying," Siufanua said.

The suspected jewel thieves had free reign of the store for about 45 minutes before they left, he said. Eventually, the employees were able to untie themselves and call police.

"It's a tough ordeal for us," Kiladjian said, with his eyes welling up with tears. "I don't wish this to my enemies. I don't have any, but I don't wish such things for anybody."

He said each piece of jewelry being sold at the store is inscribed with "SJ" on the inside, making it recognizable to anyone who might purchase it on the street. Kiladjian said he manufactures a lot of the pieces himself, in a makeshift factory on the second level of the store.

In addition to jewelry, the men escaped in a vehicle belonging to one of the employees. Police later located the vehicle, a newer model Jeep, parked on the side of the road near 2680 N. Canyon Road. The men are described as being about 5 feet 10 inches tall with olive complexions, and they spoke in a language the clerks didn't recognize, Siufanua said. They all wore down-filled winter jackets, one in charcoal, one in navy and one in red.

Kiladjian said he's grateful no one else was in the store during the heist.

"It does not sound random. This sounds like they planned it. They knew what they were doing," Siufanua said. He said police will "work diligently until we find those who are responsible for these crimes."

The store will remain closed throughout the Thanksgiving weekend, while insurers help take inventory of the remaining product, but Losee is expected to re-open Monday.

There have been several high-end jewelry robberies along the Wasatch Front in recent years. Investigators did not know if Monday night's incident is related to any of them.

• Sept. 16, 2010 — Two jewelry salesmen preparing to leave Salt Lake City were robbed of an estimated $500,000 worth of jewels at a rental car office at the Salt Lake City International Airport by at least five men. The attack was not believed to be random.
• April 16, 2008 — A jewelry broker was robbed at gunpoint by four men who got away with $150,000 in diamonds.
• June 19, 2007 — Two gunmen robbed a New York jewelry salesman in Provo.
• March 13, 2007 — A New Jersey jewelry salesman was stabbed in the hands in the parking lot of an Orem hotel by men who fought him for his bag filled with jewels.
• Jan. 23, 2007 — A California jewelry salesman was accosted by three men outside an American Fork Kohl's store where they stole his rolling bag of jewels.
• Jan. 10, 2007 — Thieves pulled up next to a salesman outside a Murray Holiday Inn Express and demanded his briefcase containing diamonds. They slashed one of his car tires before leaving.
• Dec. 13, 2006 — A jewelry store owner was shot by two men who approached him as he carried a bag of jewels to his car. The bullet grazed his chin.
• Nov. 9, 2006 — A New York salesman leaving his Orem hotel was accosted by a man who grabbed his bags full of jewels and cash.
• Aug. 8, 2006 — A California salesman was pushed to the ground while walking toward an Orem hotel and robbed of his jewelry bag.
• May 17, 2006 — Two men with a gun robbed an Israeli jewelry salesman of nearly $200,000 worth of jewelry in the parking lot of his Murray hotel.

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Written by Wendy Leonard with contributions from Sam Penrod and Pat Reavy.

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