Phoenix jewelry store break-in comes at worst time for business owner
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A central Phoenix jewelry store owner is picking up the pieces after someone broke into her shop overnight and the crime couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Gold necklaces, earrings and bracelets were among the items stolen from Jewel Ya off Camelback Road and Central Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Owner Julia Winter said the merchandise is worth thousands of dollars. “They took all of our charms, all of our chains, then went through the rest of the studio and took custom necklaces that were made,” said Winter. “They took all of the beaded bracelets.”
The cute little jewelry shop would normally be full of customers on Monday, looking for Mother’s Day and graduation gifts. Instead, Winter spent the day sifting through the damage and determining what was stolen.
The locally-owned jewelry store is actively involved in the community and has been in this location for seven years. Winter said they’ve established a loyal following of customers, who are looking for affordable jewelry that runs between $30 and $1,000.
It’s unclear right now whether this was a random break-in or if the business was targeted. “It feels like a big violation, and makes me scared,” said Winter. “It makes me wonder if I will keep my studio, just makes you question everything.”
“It’s just disappointing to hear,” said Jesse Schlaefer, who works downstairs. “We have a small community here and look after each other. I take her mail every day. Just to hear that happen to her for no reason is sad to hear.”
Winter said she has an alarm that went off, but when officers arrived, the thief or thieves were nowhere in sight. She thinks it’s probably time to install a security camera.
“I’m very much hoping that police will find whoever did this,” said Winter. “So they don’t do it to anybody else, and maybe some of the items are recoverable, who knows?”
Winter is hoping that surveillance video from one of the businesses nearby will help police catch the crooks. If you have any info about this crime, call the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2025 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.
