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PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Police in this resort town are warning shop owners to boost security after a pair of pricey thefts from Main Street boutiques.
Thieves this month took seven Cartier watches valued at more than $106,000 from the O.C. Tanner store. Separately, a fur worth more than $40,000 was reported missing last week from Alaska Fur Gallery.
Park City police do not believe the thefts were connected.
Detectives said a couple entered O.C. Tanner and distracted two clerks.
"We believe these people are very, very organized," detective Mike Fierro said. "In my opinion, they were professional thieves. They staked this out and knew the optimum time to go in and do it."
Police are trying to identify suspects from surveillance cameras. Investigators are comparing the images to suspects in organized shoplifting rings and have listed the watches with the National Crime Information Center.
"We put the information out. We're monitoring eBay and things like that," Fierro said.
O.C. Tanner representatives declined to comment.
Police said another big-ticket theft was reported at Alaska Fur Gallery, about a block away from O.C. Tanner.
Main Street is lined with shops selling pricey merchandise to tourists. In the past, thieves have hit Park City art galleries. Fierro said officers would like to see more stores increase security.
"Ultimately, it's the business' decision to weigh the cost of security and the potential of losing property," he said. "We're always available to come and do assessments and to provide the expertise that we can in helping develop better security systems."
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Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
