Police: FOX 5 viewers help solve $100K jewelry heist

CHAMBLEE, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Police said FOX 5 viewers calling in tips helped Chamblee detectives solve a jewelry heist worth $100,000. 

"After FOX 5 news released the video, we were able to get multiple calls," said Chief Kerry Thomas. "We're very pleased with the recovery of such high dollar items...[which] is sometimes unheard of," he said, noting the swift recovery after people called in the information that led to an arrest. 

On Good Friday evening, police said 43-year-old Alexander Shanel Brown-- wearing a "Be A Good Human" sweatshirt-- broke into the Ringcrush jewelry warehouse in Chamblee. Investigators believe he stole 2,600 rings and pieces of jewelry in the hopes he could sell them to a pawn shop. 

FOX 5 was the only station to air the surveillance Sunday night. Owner and founder of Ringcrush, Bailey Lehrer said the fashionable jewelry that was stolen, which retails for $30 to $70 online, would be turned away from pawn shops. 

"It would have been really heartbreaking if everything would have been lost forever," Lehrer said, noting that each piece is handcrafted by her team of jewelers. 

From our Sunday night newscast to Monday morning, police said viewers called in the name of the suspect. He was arrested Tuesday morning in Forest Park, and investigators recovered most of the stolen items. 

"I gave some of these [officers] hugs this morning. I was like, 'I can't believe y'all did this-this is remarkable,'" Lehrer said. 

She also thanks those FOX 5 viewers who did the right thing. 

"I'm very thankful for that person... they don't know who I am, and they did that for me-- a complete stranger," she said. 

Brown is in the DeKalb County Jail on second-degree felony burglary charges. 

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