Bliss Marketplace in Midtown Sacramento was targeted by thieves twice in two weeks, leaving vendors with significant financial losses
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Bliss Marketplace in Midtown Sacramento has been hit by two break-ins in less than two weeks, with the first incident occurring on September 29 and the second on Sunday, leaving some vendors with substantial losses.
The marketplace, home to more than 150 vendors, features a curated collection of items from individual business owners.
“Each bookshelf, each booth is a curated collection, an extension of their passion and an individual business owner,” Jessica Pearce said.
Jessica Pearce is the owner of The Hope Chest. She said her booth was among those targeted during the thefts. Pearce, a breast cancer survivor, shared that her shop represents a dream she worked hard to achieve.
“It’s a fun double entendre. I was a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed five years ago, so this was a fruition of my dream,” she said.
Her booth, which includes jewelry she makes and jewelry she sources, was just about cleared out during the first break-in.
“About three years’ worth of a collection in one night, just gone,” Pearce said. “It devastated me.”
The thieves reportedly entered through the back door, stealing more than $6,000 worth of Pearce’s jewelry, $507 worth of crystal rocks from another vendor, and cash and checks from the break room.
Following the first break-in, Bliss added floodlights to the back alley and fortified the door to prevent another break-in.
Pearce left a note in her display case after the first break-in, which read, “No more silver. My case got cased. To the jerks who robbed me, I hope you look fabulous in my drip.”
She believes the thieves saw the note when they returned for the second break-in on Sunday.
The thieves reportedly entered through the back door again and damaged it beyond repair. Pearce thinks it was the same thieves both times.
“It was so violating, knowing that they came back and what little that they didn’t steal, they took with them,” Pearce said.
During the second incident, the thieves reportedly stole more of Pearce’s jewelry, additional crystal rocks, an empty cash register, and thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry from another vendor.
“It’s hitting individuals in your community whose often—this is their livelihood,” Pearce said.
The financial impact has been devastating for Pearce, who said she is still paying off medical bills from her cancer treatment.
“For me, this is my third job. So, because I’m still trying to pay off my bills from cancer treatment, unfortunately. So, it’s devastating thinking what if I don’t rebuild, but I might not be able to,” she said.
Despite the setbacks, Pearce is trying to stay hopeful about continuing her business.
Sacramento police confirmed they are investigating the break-ins but said they do not have any suspect information to share at this time.
Bliss Marketplace shared surveillance footage and details of the incidents on social media, describing the suspect as having a slim build, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, wearing a distinctive Frida Kahlo shirt, a navy-blue backpack, and a striped bag. They believe the suspect may be using a bike.
The marketplace expressed frustration with what they called a lack of police response, stating that officers did not arrive to take a report until nine hours after the second break-in was discovered.
KCRA 3 reached out to Sacramento police about the response time. They responded with a statement:
“The Sacramento Police Department prioritizes calls for service based on several factors, including whether there is an immediate threat to life or public safety and whether a crime is actively occurring. At times, this can result in longer response times for incidents where the suspect is no longer present.
That does not diminish the impact these crimes have on victims or our responsibility to investigate them. These burglaries were documented and remain under investigation, and our officers and detectives will continue to evaluate available evidence and information that may help identify those responsible.”
Anyone with information about the suspect is encouraged to contact Bliss Marketplace or Sacramento Police.
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