Precious metals dealer reports $50,000 theft while on bathroom break at Edina hotel

A man buying and selling gold, silver and other precious items out of an Edina hotel took a bathroom break and returned to find thousands of dollars in inventory stolen last month. Police say they may have identified one of the culprits currently jailed on an unrelated charge.

The reported theft occurred Sept. 19 at Homewood Suites in the 6600 block of York Avenue S., according to a search warrant affidavit filed in Hennepin County District Court that was made public Friday.

The employee of Premier Gold Silver and Coin told police that roughly $50,000 in gold and silver items were stolen, the affidavit said, which cleared the way for police to extract data from the cellphone of one of the two suspects.

Premier Gold Silver and Coin, based in Ohio, sets up shop in locations around the country and invites the public to buy and sell gold and silver items along with valuable coins, jewelry and antiques. The company had been at the Edina location for four days until the reported theft.

As of midday Friday, police have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the heist, made possible by a door left ajar. However, the affidavit identified one of the suspects, who has numerous burglary convictions in Minnesota and a federal conviction for illegal gun possession, according to court records.

The man was arrested Thursday for violating the terms of the federal conviction and awaits charges in connection with the theft. The Minnesota Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects before they are charged.

According to the affidavit, the employee provided this account to police:

When the employee returned, he saw boxes tossed about and emptied of gold and silver items.

The employee notified hotel staff, who told police about two suspicious males who had been in the computer lounge next to the conference room where the employee was working. A hotel clerk said the males left two cellphones behind that staff collected.

Around the time of the theft, both suspects were captured on video surveillance leaving through a fire exit. One was carrying a box, and the other had a black bag that he dropped. The video revealed jewelry in the bag.