Someone is switching out jewelers’ diamonds with fakes
http://nypost.com/2015/09/21/sneaky-thief-switches-real-diamonds-with-cubic-zirconia/A thief used the oldest trick in the book to dupe a bunch of Diamond District jewelers out of tens of thousands of dollars in gems, authorities say.
Justin Abramowitz, 32, would ask to see an engagement diamond, then swap it with a cubic zirconia, court papers allege.
“He gives everybody the same story,” said Yeheskel Siag, 63, one of four jewelers allegedly scammed by Abramowitz.
“He says, ‘Hi, my name is David.’ He shakes your hand. He tells you he’s getting engaged and he wants a ring worth $20,000.
“He lets you drop your guard, and the minute he turns around to make a call, he’s gone.”
Abramowitz’s crime spree began July 24 at 29 W. 47th St., where he asked to examine a 2-carat diamond and switched it out with a cubic zirconia, a criminal complaint says.
Fewer than three days later, Abramowitz hit up the 47th Street Diamond Exchange at 578 Fifth Ave. and allegedly pinched a $15,000 diamond and left a worthless gem in its place.
Abramowitz then walked into Siag’s jewelry store at 13 W. 47th St. on July 29 and asked to see a $25,000 white diamond, authorities said.
“Defendant then told informant he was not interested and left,” the complaint says. “After defendant left, informant realized that the diamond that informant had shown defendant was gone, and in its place was a cubic zirconia replica.”
He struck again July 31, when he targeted a jeweler at 20 W. 47th St. and absconded with another $15,000 stone after swapping it, authorities said.
But Siag said he helped nail Abramowitz less than a week later after spotting him down the block at a jewelry store.
“I recognized his face,” the jeweler said. “I called my employee, and he ran and got security. They came right away and called police. The sergeant came and arrested him.”
Cops found four cubic zirconias of various sizes in his pocket, authorities said. None of the stolen diamonds has been recovered, officials said.
Siag said cops told him Abramowitz sold the rock he stole from him to a pawnshop.
“This is what he does. He’s a crook,” Siag said. “After spending over an hour with him and showing him different settings, this is what he does to us?”
Abramowitz faces four counts of grand larceny and is being held on $50,000 bond. He’s due back in court Sept 28.
