TOMS RIVER, NJ — Detectives in Toms River are investigating after an elaborate jewelry heist worth one million dollars on Wednesday.
The incident comes as the township grapples with the Toms River Police Department over staffing issues and cuts in sworn officers.
Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little reported that the heist at Venzio Jewelers within the Ocean County Mall resulted in the loss of upwards of $1 million worth of merchandise.
The theft occurred after mall hours on Wednesday, with the heist crew gaining entry through an adjacent vacant store, leaving a noticeable breach in the wall.
According to Chief Little, the perpetrators accessed the store’s office, where they disabled the alarm and telephone systems before employing a torch to cut open a safe.
The stolen goods, valued at around $1 million, were all taken from the safe, with no items missing from the showroom floor.
This is one of the largest organized robberies on record in Ocean County history.
At this time, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been identified.