Police search for trio in theft of gold rosary

LILBURN, Ga. - For many, a rosary is a sacred religious item, but for some trio of thieves in Lilburn, the vintage $1,200 gold rosary presented a crime of opportunity. Now, the owner of Five Forks Antiques in Lilburn is offering his own money as a reward to capture the thieves.

Store owner Tom McDonald showed FOX 5 News surveillance of three women dressed in peasant style long dresses and scarves. He said the three were working together to steal the 1950's rosary.

He said while two women distracted him at one end of the jewelry counter the other woman snatched the 22 karat gold rosary from the other end two Saturday's ago.

"There her hand goes in and removes it," McDonald said as he pointed to the surveillance video.

The rosary, to those who believe, is sacred.

"They have no conscious these people that like to steal so to them it means nothing but to many other people in our society it resembles as much as the American flag, the cross," said McDonald.

Gwinnett County Police are trying to determine if the women who stole the rosary might be connected to a couple of men who came to the antique store a month ago. Antique dealer Rojean Gore, who has several booths at the store, told FOX 5 News one of the men was touching the rosary in the counter when store owner McDonald stepped in.

"Tom came over to the case and he saw that happen and he told him to put it back and they ran out," said Gore.

Video of the woman leaving shows them almost running to their van. When owner Tom McDonald realized the rosary had been stolen he ran out the store, snapping a picture of a Honda van with Texas plates HZW6382 of the people who would steal what others believe to be sacred.

"I would just be afraid that you know, God would see to it that something happened if I'd stolen it.

Tom McDonald, the owner of Five Forks Antiques, is hoping anyone with any information on the trio of rosary thieves will contact the Gwinnett County Police Department. He is offering a $500 reward for information leading to their capture, arrest, and conviction.