Stolen rings found after surveillance video made public
Winnipeg police returned rings to store owner Wednesday
The co-owner of Golden Hand Jewellery says he's thrilled to have his rings back after they were stolen from his store last Saturday.
Paul Szurlej says the Winnipeg Police Pawn Unit returned the rings to his store Wednesday morning.
"Amazing the system works, you know I'm very grateful, very happy." Szurlej said.
The brazen theft was caught on surveillance tape last Saturday.
Szurlej says he released the surveillance footage to the media this week with hopes that it would generate tips from the public. Szurlej says he plans on paying the $1,000 reward that he offered.
"Everybody saw who this guy was and he got arrested pretty quick, and they were able to locate the rings," Szurlej told CBC.
Szurlej says police have arrested the suspect, but he doesn't know who the man is or where the rings were found.
"You know I'm not sure where they were, actually. All I know is that they were recovered by the pawn unit," he said.
Szurlej says he has no regrets about releasing the surveillance video, which clearly shows a man leaning across a counter and reaching into a display case, while the store employee is distracted with another customer.
The rings are worth $10,000.
"I just wanted the rings back," he said. "I know that it made me look silly that I didn't do my job properly, but I would rather get the rings back and show other jewellers that this can happen to anyone," he said.