Suspect charged with jewelry theft

Hastings Police have charged Drew Robert Duffy, 20, Hastings with theft — aggregating over $5,000 — in connection with the theft of jewelry items from a Hastings residence in early February.

According to the criminal complaint, the homeowner told police she suspected Duffy. She confronted him and he admitted to taking a pair of earrings, but denied taking any other jewelry. Two other pairs of earrings and a diamond necklace were also taken.

In checking Duffy’s pawn history, officers learned he pawned a pair of diamond earning at Excel Pawn in St. Paul. An officer went to Excel Pawn and retrieved the earrings. The homeowner identified them as hers. In a subsequent interview with police, Duffy admitted to taking the jewelry. He said he sold the jewelry to get money to buy drugs.

Tags: 2 crime and courts, hastings, minnesota, spiral, local, home, may