Police investigate after about $7,000 in jewelry taken from mall store

Myrtle Beach police responded after two men worked together to take about $7,000 in gold necklaces from a Coastal Grand Mall jewelry store, according to a police report.

Officers were called about 6 p.m. Tuesday to Ocean Jewelers at the Coastal Grand Mall, where a 48-year-old store employee reported the incident, authorities said.

Police obtained surveillance video from a neighboring store, which captured the theft taking place.

Authorities said the two men spoke with the employee for about 10 minutes while looking at necklaces. The employee put a set of gold necklaces on the counter behind her in the middle of the kiosk, police said.

One of the suspects distracted the employee by speaking to her about another necklace, while the other suspect reached across the display counter and grabbed the set of about eight necklaces that the employee set out, according to the police report.

The suspect put the necklaces down the front of his pants and left the area. The suspect who was speaking with the employee didn’t buy anything and left the kiosk and headed in the same direction as the other suspect, police said.

The suspect who took the necklaces was seen on the video speaking to another man, but police said it was unclear if he was involved in the theft.

Authorities were still investigating the incident as of Wednesday morning.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 9:21 AM with the headline "Police investigate after about $7,000 in jewelry taken from mall store."