Midvale gold heist leaves store with heavy losses

MIDVALE — A group of thieves used a stolen truck to smash through the front of a Midvale store early Tuesday, making off with tens of thousands of dollars in gold and silver while causing extensive damage to the business, according to the store's owner and Unified Police.

The burglary happened at Cole Cannon's business, Utah Gold Buyers, where surveillance video captured suspects backing a truck through the store's glass entrance before rushing inside and targeting display cases.

Cannon said he was asleep when he received a call from his alarm company reporting that sensors had been triggered.

"At first I'm always like, 'No, it's fine,'" Cannon recalled. But after checking his security cameras, he realized the situation was far more serious. "'There is a truck in the store,'" he said.

Cannon immediately called 911. He said officers arrived within minutes, but the suspects had already fled.

According to Cannon, surveillance footage shows at least three people involved in the break-in. He believes the crime was planned because the suspects appeared to know exactly where they were going once they entered the store.

The truck first pulled behind the building before a lookout appeared to survey the area, Cannon said. The driver then maneuvered the vehicle into position and backed through the storefront at an angle to avoid concrete barriers placed in front of the business. The truck also damaged the neighboring business.

Once inside, the suspects spread out and began smashing display cases and filling bags with merchandise, according to Cannon.

However, Cannon said there was a bit of a silver lining during the estimated 15-minute heist. Less than three minutes after breaking in, two of the suspects left. The remaining individual, who Cannon described as the ringleader, persisted but instead of emptying a gold jewelry case, he focused on a display with silver coins, worth much less than the gold.

"Even when he came back in with the flashlight, he went into the coin case instead of the jewelry case," Cannon said. "He was basically stepping over gold to pick up silver."

Nevertheless, Cannon said the suspects still managed to steal valuable merchandise, including some gold jewelry, coins and Cartier bracelets. He estimates the total value of stolen items is around $50,000.

The physical damage may be even more costly. Cannon estimates repairs to the storefront, flooring, electrical systems and neighboring business could total more than $100,000.

"I'm just so glad that it wasn't during the day, you know where somebody was in here," Cannon said. "If there would've been somebody in the store, they would've killed them the way they came in with that truck."

The truck used in the burglary had been stolen about two hours earlier from a South Jordan home, according to Unified police. The vehicle was found abandoned in Sandy.

According to Cannon, the truck's owner recently purchased the vehicle and left it parked in a garage with the keys inside.

Timeline

• About 2 a.m.: Truck stolen from South Jordan.
• 4:45 a.m.: Theft at Utah Gold Buyers in Midvale, 7044 S. State Street.
• 6:11 a.m.: Truck located in Sandy near 10600 South.

Cannon believes a second vehicle may have been used to help the thieves escape, though that has not been confirmed by investigators.

"I've worked really hard at this business," he said. "All I can really do is try and rebuild and keep going on."

No arrests have been announced. Unified police are asking anyone with information about the burglary to contact investigators at the non-emergency number 801-840-4000 or submit a tip online. You can remain anonymous.