Thief smashes display case at Roosevelt Field Macy's, makes off with $30,000 in diamond necklaces

For the second time in three months, a thief committed a smash-and-grab robbery at the jewelry counter at Macy's at Roosevelt Field mall, Nassau police said.

The latest theft occurred at 11:37 a.m. Wednesday at the store on Old Country Road in East Garden City.

Police said a masked man, dressed all in black except for white gloves and the soles of his black sneakers, walked into the store and to the jewelry counter, where he "struck the glass countertop" and reached into the display case. He removed three diamond necklaces worth about $30,000 and then took off on foot, police said.

The robbery comes less than three months after a suspect wearing a multicolored full face mask and black clothing entered the store and, as three store employees sought shelter in fear of their safety, shattered a display case at the jewelry counter with a baseball bat, attempting to steal more than $370,000 in jewelry from the case.

In that Aug. 26 incident, police said the suspect, identified as Joshua Wilson, 25, of Hempstead, fled toward Ring Road and was arrested less than an hour later on Clinton Avenue. Court records show Wilson pleaded not guilty to numerous charges that include attempted robbery, attempted grand larceny, criminal mischief, criminal nuisance and criminal possession of a weapon.

He was remanded and records show his next appearance is scheduled for Nov. 20. He is represented by Legal Aid.

Third Squad detectives are investigating the latest smash-and-grab and ask anyone with information to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.

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.”