CAINE Allan Nichols is alleged to have stuffed more than $24,000 in stolen jewellery down his pants.
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Then he buried the gold bracelets in the backyard of a Lavington home, police claim.
The subtle shoplift at Michael Hill Jewellers in Centro Albury happened about 11.15am on Monday.
It wasn’t until 4pm that staff realised the shop had been robbed and security footage was checked.
Nichols, 28, was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in Albury Local Court yesterday charged with shoplifting.
He was refused bail to re-appear at a later date.
Rowan Weaver, 23, of North Albury, was arrested yesterday and appeared as a co-accused, and was bailed until October 21.
A third person was believed involved.
Twenty security cameras and 12 customers did not deter the men.
Police told the court Nichols browsed for a short time before going to an unlocked display cabinet.
He took a display board with eight solid gold men’s bracelets worth $24,634, popped it down his pants and walked out.
It was all over in three minutes, but it had all been filmed.
Police claim the footage “clearly depicted” Nichols taking the items.
He was found on Tuesday hiding under a large pile of clothes on the lounge room floor of the Lavington home.
He took police into the backyard and said he had buried the jewellery.
Four bracelets were found in a Ventti filter box 10 centimetres under the soil, while another has since been recovered.
Three more, worth $10,000 in total, were still missing last night.
Jeweller Sarah Kerr said yesterday this type of theft was a first for the shop that had been operating in Centro Albury for the past 12 years.
“The traditional form of shop-stealing is a snatch and grab,” Ms Kerr said.
“Nothing like this has ever happened in the whole time we’ve been here.”
She said 12 customers were in the shop at the time and all staff were busy serving when the bracelets went missing.
“It’s just an awful feeling,” she said.
“But the main thing I had to stress to all staff is that it is unfortunate but we have insurance.
“And the best thing is no one was hurt.”
She has appealed to anyone with information about the location of the missing bracelets to contact Albury police on (02) 6023 9299 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.