J.C. Penney has been hit with a series of robberies at different stores around the country. The losses now total in the millions of dollars.
A large amount of jewelry was stolen during a burglary of JC Penney on Louisiana Avenue on Wednesday, the latest in a string of sophisticated heists at JC Penney stores throughout the country.
Burglars gained entry through the roof of the store late Tuesday or early Wednesday, said Lafayette Police Department Cpl. Paul Mouton.
They smashed several jewelry counters and took a large amount of jewelry before leaving the store, he said.
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The burglary comes just three days after another JC Penney store near Covington was hit.
During that incident, burglars took more than $1.5 million in jewelry and other merchandise after cutting into the roof and lowering themselves into the store.
The thieves in the Covington burglary are believed to be connected with a group that has hit three other branches of the department store around the country.
J.C. Penney stores in Roseburg, Texas, Pasadena, Texas, have also been robbed.
J.C. Penney executives think the string of robberies are related to one another, and are quite concerned because the losses are high.
A spokesman for the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's office said that the burglars know exactly what they were looking for. The robberies appear to be organized and well-executed. According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime gangs are increasing their activities leading to big losses for retailers.
