VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — More than $7,000 worth of gold and silver were stolen from a longtime store in the Resort City early Tuesday morning.
The Positive Vibes store at 6220 Indian River Road in Virginia Beach is known for its books, art, clothing and herbal supplies.
“People come here to heal, their mental health, their body, their temple,” said Emmanuel Hewitt, the store owner’s son. “… Our objective is healing.”
The Virginia Beach location has served the community for 28 years.
“We’re kind of tight-knit,” Emmanuel Hewitt said. “We have customers that’s been coming around since I was literally in my mom’s arms.”
Brett Hewitt, Positive Vibes owner, said there had been “no problems for 28 years. Just a peaceful, beautiful location and it’s been good.”
Around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, however, security cameras inside the business captured a loud noise, as the front door was smashed.
“The suspect broke our glass and entered the building, went straight for our showcase where gold is kept,” Brett Hewitt said. “Broke the glass and made off with all the gold chains and everything that we had.”
The video shared with 10 On Your Side shows the man approach the jewelry case smash the glass, then walk around the counter.
“On his way out, there was a display with sterling silver Egyptian jewelry,” Brett Hewitt said. He grabbed that and put it in his pocket [or hoodie] that he had on and walked out of the door.”
The man is unmasked in the video, which Virginia Beach Police now have a copy of. Detectives were called to the store on Tuesday morning for a report of a burglary.
“I don’t know if he’s going to other jewelry stores and doing the same thing, but I just want this out,” Emmanuel Hewitt said. “So his face is out there, and people know what’s going on and are aware. The police are going to get to them because he came in here with all his tattoos showing his face.”
Emmauel Hewitt installed the updated cameras as a safety precaution in 2014.
“When I watched the camera, my heart was shattering,” he said.
The day before the burglary, he noticed something odd.
“I saw somebody scoping out the place,” Emmanuel Hewitt said. “I took a video of him. My intuition was telling me something was off. I had no idea that was going to be next.”
After talking with staff at the Norfolk location and reviewing security video from about three weeks ago, the Hewitts believe the same man entered the Virginia Beach store Aug. 15, when he purchased a $1,500 chain.
“He actually bought a gold chain and then he paid for it with a card that we [now] suspect is a fraudulent card and he left,” Brett Hewitt said. “He wanted to buy another one, a really pricey one [around $4,000]. But we became suspicious and wouldn’t allow him to do it unless he used cash. He didn’t. … He said he would be back, but would never return.”
Brett Hewitt has shown the other owners in the shopping complex the man’s face and is hopeful someone will recognize the man and notify the police.
“Our biggest hope and desire is to get this guy off the street,” Brett Hewitt said, “so he won’t go to someone else’s business and do the same thing.”
The family said the man took more than just material items.
“The last thing on my mind was how much money we just lost,” Brett Hewitt said. “More so, how someone can just come and invade your privacy and take items that you purchased.”
They are hopeful someone will come forward and assist the police with making an arrest.
“The community has always taken care of us,” Brett Hewitt said. “And there’s no reason why they won’t continue.”
Virginia Beach Police have not made any arrests in this case. If you have any information on this case, call the Virginia Beach Police Department (757) 385-4141 or email vbpd@vbgov.com.