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Clothed in a variety of hats, facemasks, gloves and construction vests, the burglars covered a doorbell cam and popped the locks on the front security gate at the Ramadanco International jewelry store on Getty Avenue before dawn earlier this month, according to various reports.
Security video shows them smashing the bottom-half glass of the front door and climbing in.
The jewelry was all in standing and squat display cases, some of which were covered in blankets, and not locked in a vault.
The burglars quickly snatched up what they could, stuffing the jewelry into what looked like pillow cases.
Then they were gone.
The heist wasn't reported publicly until CBS New York aired a report early last week in which the owners criticized city police.
SEE: Jewelry store owners unsatisfied with Paterson Police Department's response to $1.5 million gold heist (CBS New York)
The New Jersey Attorney General's Office, which temporarily took control of the city police department two months ago, confirmed that authorities are investigating the 4:42 a.m. May 17 break-in.
More than $1 million in merchandise was reported taken during an afternoon strong-arm robbery of Paradise Jewelry at the corner of Main Street and Delaware Avenue, which is also on Paterson's south side.
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