Sleuthing helps jewelry store owner catch theft suspects

(This story has been updated to reflect the correct name of a male suspect, who, according to Cape Girardeau police, provided a stolen identity upon his arrest.)

A Cape Girardeau business owner and her employee assisted in the arrest of two Illinois residents who allegedly stole from her shop.

Crystal Miller, 41, of Marion, Illinois, and Jeremy Westmoreland, 32, of Peoria, Illinois, were taken into custody by Cape police officers Tuesday on charges of felony stealing after Miller allegedly pocketed a six-carat white-gold ring valued at $3,800 on Monday from Jewelry Journey & Co.

According to a police report and Christina Roosman, owner of Jewelry Journey & Co., Miller and Westmoreland had visited the store at approximately 4:30 p.m. and Miller tried the ring on. Westmoreland was reportedly showing the shop's gemologist Barkiaroq "Kia" Farhadi fake gold as a distraction while Miller took off the ring and put it in her pocket. When Roosman and Farhadi were closing the shop that evening, Farhadi realized the ring was gone.

Roosman and Farhadi reviewed surveillance video footage of the incident, and, after reporting the incident to Cape police, Roosman posted the video and still images of the footage on Facebook in order to identify the theives.

Justin Veach

The next day, Roosman said a friend had called her saying she saw the two suspects walking through town. Roosman called police and drove past a restaurant on North Kingshighway, where Miller and Westmoreland had been spotted. A little later, Farhadi had received a similar phone call stating the two were near Walmart Neighborhood Market, and went to look for them.

Farhadi spotted Miller and Westmoreland and followed them in his car. Eventually, Farhadi left the vehicle and began chasing the pair on foot while he had a 911 dispatcher on his phone. This was when Roosman came into play -- and got a little lucky.

After attempting to cut the pair off, Roosman allegedly picked Miller and Veach up in her car near Laughing Gas Comedy in Town Plaza as they fled from Farhadi.

"I didn't know what I was going to do, but I saw Kia chasing them and I thought, 'Well, I'm going to just cut them off,' that's what I had in my head," Roosman said. "So, I was pulling around the corner right in front of the comedy club and I saw them at the bus stop. He was chasing them, so I pulled up and I kind of angled, not knowing what I was going to do.

"I pull up and I roll down my window, and she runs at the car and she says, 'This guy's crazy, he's chasing us. Can you give us a ride?' I didn't even hesitate I was just like, 'Sure!' Because I had just spoken with a policeman sitting in a police car [nearby], so I knew he was right around the corner."

Roosman let the pair in her backseat and drove toward William Street upon Miller's request.

"She even said, 'Could you turn left?' And I was like, 'That's where I wanted to go,'" Roosman said. "So I turn left, and they're kind of calmed down, and they're just sitting there."

Roosman then pulled into the Slumberland parking lot and parked next to the waiting police officer.

"Then I pull right up beside the police car," Roosman said, "roll down my window and I said, 'they're in my backseat.'"

Stealing more than $750 is a Class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Miller and Westmoreland are both being held at the Cape County jail on a $30,000 and $40,000 cash or surety bond, respectively.