ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque woman caught a thief in her yard on camera but he wasn’t making off with just anything, he was hauling a very heavy and expensive rock. The thief got away with quartz, weighing at least 200 pounds, from a homeowner’s backyard near San Mateo and Copper on Tuesday afternoon.
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“The person who took my report was in disbelief, that someone would actually carry a 200-pound crystal,” said Frances.
Frances’ back gate is normally locked but she left it open because PNM needed to read the meter. On surveillance video, you can see the thief open the back gate and head straight for the quartz crystal. Frances fears the thief somehow already knew the $1,500 crystal was on display.
Getting the stone was a goal of her late husband’s. “I was sort of happy, I fulfilled a wish of his even though he wasn’t around anymore,” Frances said.
The quartz cluster was special to Frances and now, the empty table is a painful reminder that the couple used to cross the country in search of unique rocks. “We would go to rock shops and see what we could find so that was always part of our road trips,” Frances said.
The thief left a trail of shards behind and Frances hopes he doesn’t damage it further and already told collectors and buyers in the area, to be on the lookout. “Whoever took this beautiful treasure of the Earth that if you bring it to a pawn shop, it’s going to be noticed,” Frances said.
Frances did file a report with the police. If you recognize the man in the video, contact the Albuquerque Police Department.
