The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.
4 Charged in Jewelry Store Heists Totaling $10M+
The men allegedly were part of a crew that pulled off more than a dozen burglaries over an 11-year span, including the brazen New Year’s Eve 2016 job in New York.
New York—Four members of an international burglary crew who allegedly stole more than $10 million in jewels from stores in the United States and Europe over an 11-year period have been arrested.
Damir Pejcinovic, 44, 36-year-old Gzimi Bojkovic (aka Jimmy), 35-year-old Adrian Fiseku and Elvis Cirikovic, 35, were taken into custody Oct. 24 and charged in an indictment unsealed the same day.
Members of the Pejcinovic gang allegedly staked out jewelry stores before they burglarized them, observing employees’ patterns and determining where they could break in.
They disabled security systems, jammed cell phone and cut phone lines while using power tools and sledgehammers to bash into businesses and destroy safes, later fencing what they stole and dividing the proceeds.
In a report aired Tuesday on “Good Morning America,” ABC News likened the crew to a “real-life Ocean’s 11.”
WATCH: GMA Reports on the “Real-Life” Ocean’s 11 Burglary Gang
{youtube} W5R8gWcDfa4{/youtube}
The 15-page indictment includes a long list of the Pejcinovic Enterprise’s alleged crimes, with the highest profile among them perhaps being the New Year’s Eve 2016 robbery in Manhattan’s Diamond District.
That jewelry theft made national headlines because the suspects waited until the stroke of midnight to break into the New York office of KGK Jewelry, which holdings include high-end brand Gregg Ruth. KGK’s office is located less than a mile from where millions of revelers—and thousands of cops—were ringing in the new year in Times Square.
According
Pejcinovic, Bojkovic and Fiseku also are charged with one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, for which they could spend up to 10 years behind bars.
These four suspects are being tried in New York federal court, as the case involves the transportation of stolen property across state lines.
Officials noted that the investigation into the burglary ring is ongoing.
The Latest

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.


NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

Two pieces were named “Best in Show,” one from the retail category and one from the supplier category.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

José Gaztelu has been promoted to the role, which has been vacant since last year.

It has also opened the application period for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship through June 30.

The owner of the Ekati mine, which opened in 1998, has filed for insolvency protection amid the significant decline in diamond prices.

The company announced the change alongside its Q1 results, which showed that the jewelry brand’s year is off to a shaky start.

The retailer will cut 16 percent of its corporate workforce as part of its plan to exit bankruptcy.

Of the many examples used in the filming of “Le Mans,” this one is believed to have spent the most time on Steve McQueen’s wrist.

Megan Piccione dressed Lauren Wasser in layers of diamond jewelry, making her stand out in a crowd that included celebrities like Beyoncé.

Following decades of association leadership, the “semi-retired” colored gemstone expert is turning his focus to gemstone education.

The museum’s new exhibition will feature one of Jesse Owen’s Olympic medals, Yogi Berra’s crown, Super Bowl rings, and more.

The new program provides access to media exposure and editorial opportunities for exhibitors and retailers.

The “Eclipse” jewelry collection captures the fleeting moment where light and shadow align though onyx, diamonds, and freshwater pearls.

Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.

A portion of every engagement ring sold in its Austin showroom will support the care and preservation of Austin’s wildflowers and green spaces.

Their partnership combines Gemist’s customization technology with Saban Onyx’s U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities.






















