CEDAR CITY — One of two men believed to have stolen $70,000 worth of jewelry in Cedar City was arrested Sunday after the store owner chased after him.
Eric Drexel Resma, 47, was arrested and charged Monday in 5th District Court with aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault resulting in serious injury and theft, second-degree felonies; causing property damage, unauthorized possession of property and failing to stop for police, third-degree felonies; drug possession and failing to stop for police, class A misdemeanors; and having burglary tools and drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors.
The search continued Monday for the second man who police say was involved in the jewelry store burglary with Resma, but got away.
Two men drove up to Clark and Linford Jewelers, 83 N. Main, in an Acura RDX about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The vehicle license plate was covered by a pair of underwear, a police booking affidavit states.
One of the men entered the store after breaking the glass front door.
“The unknown suspect has a crowbar-type tool on him, which he uses to break into one of the display cases. He immediately begins to place the jewelry inside a military-style camo backpack,” the affidavit states.
The store owner, however, lives in an apartment above the business and went downstairs after hearing the glass break.
“He confronts the suspect and is hit with the crowbar-type weapon and thrown to the ground. The owner gets back up and is hit again. The store owner ran to the driver’s side of this vehicle to try and identify the driver. He leaned into the vehicle, and the driver began to drive away with him still leaned into the vehicle. The store owner was able to free himself from the vehicle as it sped away,” according to the affidavit.
The owner then got into his own vehicle and followed the burglars.
“He was able to catch the suspect vehicle going south on I-15. He followed the vehicle, waiting for law enforcement to arrive and assist. While following the suspect vehicle, he witnessed the suspects stop briefly and drop the camo backpack out of the car,” the affidavit states.
The owner followed the men until they crashed on a frontage road in the Pintura area, police said. The men ran, and Resma was caught a short time later after trying to hide in nearby bushes, according to the affidavit.
Jewelry with the price tags still attached was recovered from both the discarded bag and inside the wrecked vehicle.
“The amount of jewelry stolen is estimated to be about $70,000. The damage to the front door and jewelry display case is estimated to be above $1,500,” police said.
The arrest report does not say where Resma is from, but notes that he “drove across three states to commit these felonies.”
Police say the second thief was last seen wearing a dark-colored hoodie and a mask.
“Residents in the Pintura area are urged to remain alert and report any suspicious activity,” Cedar City police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 435-586-2955.
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