Crime

Delaware Jeweler Viciously Attacked During Robbery

CrimeOct 03, 2022

Delaware Jeweler Viciously Attacked During Robbery

The jeweler was left in critical condition after a suspect pistol-whipped and beat him before stealing jewelry out of the display cases.

Wilmington, Del.—One Delaware jewelry store owner was left in critical condition and is now in rehabilitation following a violent robbery at his store. 

On the morning of Sept. 15, a man entered Solid Gold Jewelers in Wilmington and pretended to look through jewelry in a display case with the store’s owner before pulling a gun on him.

Security footage from the store shows the suspect pistol-whipping the 68-year-old jeweler until the latter falls to the ground.

The suspect jumped over the display case and continued to stomp and beat the store owner on the head, including a few blows with a hammer, according to police.

The suspect then is seen going through display cases and taking jewelry before leaving the store.

The estimated value of the stolen jewelry is more than $100,000.

According to a Facebook update from the owner’s son, Steve Suh, they have recovered about 10 to 15 percent of the stolen jewelry but don’t expect to be recover any more. 

Suh launched a GoFundMe page on Sept. 26 to help with his father’s medical bills and recovery. More than $82,000 had been raised as of Monday morning.

The page states that the owner of the store was in critical condition after the attack and had to be admitted to an intensive care unit as he was suffering from internal bleeding in his head and a severe concussion.

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He was there for four days before going to a rehabilitation facility, where he is re-learning how to do basic things like walk, talk, and read.

According to the Wilmington Police Department, 39-year-old Calvin Ushery, whom has a long criminal history, was arrested Sept. 22 in connection with the robbery.

He has been charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, robbery in the first degree, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, and criminal mischief under $5,000, police confirmed.

He was arraigned and jailed on a $130,500 cash-only bail.

Suh, who is Korean-American, as is his father, noted on the initial GoFundMe post: “There has been no media coverage of this crime despite its horrific nature. With so much violence against Asians lately, I struggle to understand why no one seems to care.”

His brother, David Suh, told the local ABC affiliate he believes the attack on his father was a hate crime, stating, “You don’t have that level of violence without hate.”

An update to the GoFundMe the following day said they have gotten more attention from media and done a few interviews with local affiliates to get the word out.

There was no response from the Delaware Department of Justice as of press time on whether the charges will be upgraded or the case investigated as a hate crime.

Solid Gold Jewelers was still temporarily closed as of Friday afternoon. 
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.
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