Asheville police charge one suspect in $354,000 jewelry-store burglary

More than $354,636 in jewelry vanished from a Page Avenue store in downtown Asheville, and Asheville police still have not identified the second man they say helped carry out the burglary.

Police have charged Justin Thomas Baker, 35, of Adairsville, Georgia, in the break-in, but investigators say another suspect remains at large. The case has become a test of downtown business security because it involved a coordinated pre-dawn theft, a silver sedan, and enough stolen merchandise to hit one of Asheville’s best-known retail corridors hard.

Officers were called to the store at about 5:28 a.m. on March 8 after a business alarm activated. When they arrived, police said the front glass door was shattered, display cases were broken open and merchandise was scattered across the store floor. Security video later showed two men arriving together in a silver sedan, forcing entry, smashing cases and leaving with the stolen goods.

Investigators used that video, license-plate-reader technology, help from Georgia law-enforcement partners and additional footage from a nearby gas station to identify Baker. Police said he faces felony larceny, breaking and entering, organized retail theft and possession of burglary tools. He is believed to be in Georgia.

The size of the theft matters well beyond one jewelry case. In downtown Asheville, where merchants depend on steady foot traffic and visitor confidence, a burglary that exceeds $354,000 sends a clear signal about the planning behind retail crime and the cost of even a single hit. For stores that rely on high-value inventory, the case is a reminder that security is not just about alarms, but about layered protection, video coverage and rapid police response.

The investigation also points to the pressure on downtown businesses and police as tourism season approaches. A single burglary can force owners to review door hardware, alarm response times, camera placement and inventory storage, while detectives continue working to identify the second suspect seen in the getaway car. Asheville police say anyone with information can use TIP2APD anonymously, text TIP2APD to 847411, or call the department at (828) 252-1110.

For downtown Asheville, the unanswered question is not only who the second suspect is, but how many more precautions merchants will have to add before the summer crowd arrives.