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Chicago Jewelers Association issues crime alert

July 02, 2009

Chicago--The Chicago Jewelers Association (CJA) has issued a crime alert urging jewelers in the Des Plaines and surrounding Illinois suburbs to be on the lookout for a white male seeking diamonds and trying to pay with a WAMU-certified check.

According to the CJA, the man claimed to be looking for Gemological Institute of America-certified diamonds of good color and cut, and totaling 1 1/3 carats. He tried to pay with a WAMU-certified check, but when the clerk went to make a copy of the check, he fled the store.

Andriy Kovtonyuk is the name on the check, and he claims he has no license, the CJA reports.

According to the CJA, the man is Eastern European, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, 140 pounds and clean-cut with short, brown hair.

He is also soft-spoken, with good but heavily accented English.

The CJA is asking Chicago-area jewelers to be on the lookout for this man. If you have any leads, the CJA is asking you to call (312) 641-5201 with the information. The CJA is in touch with local law enforcement and will contact the appropriate personnel.

Editor's note: In an update to this story on July 6, Ethan Lord Jewelers, located on Jewelers Row in Chicago, reported to National Jeweler that Kovtonyuk entered the store on June 29 seeking a GIA-certified round diamond totaling 1.2-1.3 carats with F-G color and VS clarity. Kovtonyuk was not interested in looking at the diamonds, only in their prices, which raised the jeweler's suspicions. Kovtonyuk returned to the store on June 30 to purchase a GIA-certified excellent-cut diamond totaling 1.20 carats with G-color and VS1-clarity, for which the jeweler had previously quoted him a price. According to Ethan Lord Jewelers, Kovtonyuk possessed a legitimate state-issued ID card and a valid certified check from Washington Mutual Bank, and did not try to flee when these items were taken to be copied.
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