CLEARLAKE – The Clearlake antique store Zephyr Zen was robbed at approximately 1:15 p.m. Friday of what the owner estimates at $250,000 worth of antique coins, watches, bullion and other items.
A female employee who was alone in the store told Clearlake Police that two men came in through the back door and demanded that she lie down on her face behind the counter while they loaded items into bags.
The men also reportedly took the victim”s personal jewelry items, including her wedding ring and a necklace she was wearing.
“There was mention of a weapon, but none was seen,” Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department said.
The men are described as two white male adults, one about 5”6″ with a slender build and wearing a dark knit cap, black pants, black sweat shirt and a black cloth jacket.
The men were reportedly wearing black gloves and left no finger prints.
“I left to show some furniture to a client at my storage unit,” store owner M. Vincent Metzger said Friday afternoon.
“I was gone for about two hours and when I got back I was confronted with my friends in the yard comforting my manager, who had been traumatized.”
Metzger said he may have to close the store, adding that his store was broken in to last Friday, as well. Between the two incidents and a theft at his home behind the store about a year ago, Metzger said he”s lost approximately half a million dollars. He is offering a $5,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of the men responsible. Metzger may be contacted at 994-4749.
“I”m going to put up a sign that says, ?due to an unbelievably aggressive criminal element in Clearlake and ineffective law enforcement, I am compelled to close until further notice,”” Metzger said. “I lost the best employee I ever had, which is almost as important as the half-million dollars I lost.”
Sgt. Tim Celli of the CPD said Sgt. Tom Clements is leading the ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the CPD at 994-8251.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com
