Probe continues into $92,000 jewelry theft at Oceanside Costco, cops say

Police have released a new photo of a suspect wanted in the Christmas Eve jewelry heist at a Costco in Oceanside.

Nassau County police also put a monetary figure on the previously undisclosed value of the theft: $92,000.

The theft was discovered by Fourth Precinct officers responding to an alarm at 10:57 p.m. on Dec. 24. Investigators have said it’s possible the suspect had an accomplice and hid in the store after closing.

On arrival, officers found “that a large jewelry case had been pried open” at the store on Hampton Road, with jewelry missing. A search of the building failed to locate any suspects.

Police said that the subsequent investigation revealed — through in-store surveillance footage — that an unknown man had been caught on camera “prying open the jewelry case with an unknown object.” That suspect removed the jewelry and loaded it into a blue bag, police said. He then fled the store on foot, leaving in an unknown direction.

A second suspect was also observed earlier with the first suspect, walking around near the jewelry case, police said.

That suspect also was seen leaving the store on foot.

Both men wore black clothes. One wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black sneakers and had a beard. The other wore a black leather coat and a black wool hat.

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477.

All calls will remain confidential.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”