Caught on camera: Thief uses giant rock to smash his way into jewelry store but struggles to hold on

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - One Forsyth County jewelry store is left picking up the pieces, after a smash and grab resulted in thousands of dollars worth of stolen jewelry.

Employees are still reviewing inventory but estimate the loss is steep, ranging from necklaces to earrings and bracelets.

In their seven years off of Peachtree Parkway, the owners of Simon D. Fine Jewelry, who did not want to show their faces on camera, said this is a first.

"We're building our bigger store, and we're hoping to open in April," said one employee. "And we were hoping to close these doors with nothing like this happening, but you know, it comes with the territory, it's just a risk."

Surveillance video showed a man first appear early Saturday morning, but he takes off. 

"It looked like he was looking at that one specific showcase," the employee said.

Less than an hour later, employees pointed out that the same man returns, but this time with a slab in his hand. He uses it to smash through the front door.

But the crook's weapon of choice proves to be a little problematic, as he is seen chasing after the rock before using it a second time to break into a showcase.

In a mad dash, the thief snags almost an entire showcase worth of jewelry in under one minute.

Authorities can be seen on video arriving at the scene less than five minutes later.

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office did not respond to our inquiry at the time this story was published. Simon D. Fine Jewelry employees said police have not yet caught the crook.

"It's scary, this is like our home, and you feel violated, so you don't want anything like that happening," said an employee.