Omaha jeweler scares off potential thief after break-in

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Garrett Peddicord is used to a friendlier entrance at his store, Sidrony Jewelers, than what he got late Saturday night.

“I heard a really loud distinctive crash,” he said. “Nothing else sounds quite like a broken window.”

He never expects anyone after hours.

“Nobody’s welcome in the store at midnight.”

Peddicord was working late in the back-room Saturday. Immersed in his craft, he was setting a diamond for a custom order.

“When we’re busing during the day I have to do all of this at night.”

Around midnight, a man in all black threw a rock through the store window while Peddicord was working.

“So I spun around in my chair looked at the camera and I saw a shadowy figure crawling through the window,” said Peddicord.

The suspect went straight to the store’s diamond display case.

“This is our showoff case with the really nice stuff in it,” said Peddicord.

And then out came Peddicord with his firearm, which he always keeps on his hip.

“A handful of Omaha jewelry owners have been killed at their store, so I didn’t want to be another one of the people added to the list.”

Overall, he stayed composed. That’s something he learned after 10 years of active duty in Air Force Intelligence and teaching courses to other Nebraskans on how to stay calm while carrying a firearm.

“There’s a whole lesson on that in the curriculum for concealed carry,” said Peddicord.

Caught on security footage, the suspect, hands raised, left the same way he came.

“The outcome was the best possible thing you could hope for, which is no one got hurt,” said Peddicord.

No items were stolen in this incident, and the suspect has not yet been identified by Omaha Police. Peddicord said he didn’t feel it was necessary to shoot the suspect.

“I’m not the trigger-happy type looking for an opportunity. I hope to never have to discharge my firearm in defense,” he said.

Now, he just hopes the next time someone comes to his store with a rock in hand, it’s a diamond that needs to be fixed.

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