A man is facing charges this week after allegedly stealing more than $200,000 worth of jewelry in Santa Fe recently.
The alleged thief, Edward Guzman, told authorities that he was homeless and staying in DeVargas Park, which is near the businesses that had been robbed, KOB 4 reported. The stores mainly sold art and jewelry made by Native Americans, which were marketed toward tourists visiting Santa Fe.
"It's a huge hit when you're talking stuff that's one-of-a-kind that can't be replaced," Sandy Swatek, the office manager at one of the affected stores, Manitou Galleries, told KOB 4. "It's hard to understand how he keeps getting out so he can continue terrorizing all the different businesses downtown."
Guzman's alleged thefts include a string of robberies dating back to February and March, when approximately $250,000 worth of merchandise was stolen from multiple stores that would then be sold to unsuspecting tourists in the area, KOB 4 reported.
Guzman was previously arrested in December for allegedly stealing approximately $100,000 in jewelry, but he was never indicted, as his charges were all dismissed in court, KOB 4 reported. Local stores and prosecutors are hoping the charges will stick this time around and that Guzman will find himself in jail.