JAMAICA HILLS, Queens (WABC) — A devastated family is speaking out after a group of thieves dressed as construction workers pulled off a multi-million-dollar heist at a home in Jamaica Hills, Queens.
The family shared their story exclusively with Eyewitness News, describing the priceless items that were taken from them.
“Inside that safe was like, like her family heirlooms, things that her mother has passed down to her, like from generations,” said the family’s 24-year-old daughter.
Surveillance video shows the decades-old family heirlooms belonging to a Queens jeweler and his wife, that were stolen as thieves waddle away with his personal safe.
“My mom’s been saving jewelry up for us for when we get married. Everything was in that safe,” the daughter said.
The thieves, two men wearing bright yellow reflective jackets and hard hats, and another wearing a hoodie, are behind the $3.2 million heist, according to the NYPD.
It happened around 2:30 p.m. on a Thursday nearly two weeks ago in Jamaica Hills.
Eyewitness News is protecting the family’s privacy. The 24-year-old daughter says her mother’s heart is in pieces.
“Everything that she’s been saving since when we were children — our baby hair, our baby footprints, our hospital discharge papers, everything, our childhood videos, everything. They took everything from us,” she said.
In surveillance video, the thieves seemingly confident with their disguises, extend a 10-foot ladder, first trying to climb through a second-floor backyard window, but it detaches and the suspect crashes down.
They then take their time, going at the back door until they finally make it inside.
“It’s been really hard. Like, especially for my mom. All of her savings. Like in our culture, that’s like our financial security, and that’s something they took away from her,” the daughter said.
About 20 minutes later, a blue Hyundai Elantra backs into the driveway. One of the suspects carrying the safe then puts it in the trunk.
The immigrants from Pakistan are praying police catch them as soon as they can.
“He came to this country with nothing. And, like, we built everything on our own. Like, nothing was handed to us,” the daughter said. So, we work every day. We’re very hardworking people. I feel like this, like this shouldn’t have happened to us, you know, like we worked really hard for everything that we’ve ever had.”
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