The shop owner said surveillance video captured the moment, and a purchase made afterward left information she could provide to police.
AUSTIN, Texas — Antiques by Anna’s owner Anna Mazaikina is warning other small businesses after she said two women took a nearly 100-year-old bracelet from her store.
Mazaikina said the incident happened Tuesday morning at her store located at the Arboretum in northwest Austin.
Surveillance video from the store shows a woman grabbing the bracelet and hiding it behind her phone. Mazaikina said the Art Deco bracelet is worth $375.
This story continues below.
“It was very quick,” Mazaikina said. ““The moment when, I guess I was trying to show another piece of the jewelry, they did it and they hid it behind the phone.”
She said then they went to the counter to try on rings, where the woman who took the bracelet bought a ring before leaving.
Hours later, Mazaikina said she realized the bracelet was missing. But she said the purchase meant the woman left behind information tied to the transaction.
“Now I have the name and the credit card transaction,” Mazaikina said. “I’m going to share all information. I will wait for the police to give me the instructions on what to do next.”
The Austin Police Department (APD) told KVUE that Mazaikina’s 311 report is in the department’s system but, has not yet been assigned to a detective.
APD recommends businesses take precautions against theft by training employees to recognize and report suspicious activity, maintaining clear visibility throughout stores and increasing security during peak shopping hours.
For now, Mazaikina said she is sharing the surveillance video and her experience as a warning to other small business owners.
“You need to be very careful,” Mazaikina said. “I’m glad that we have cameras in the store.”
She said she hopes what happened at her shop can help prevent other businesses from becoming a potential target.