GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The owner of Custom Jewelers Gallery in Greensboro is facing charges after police said he switched real gems with fake ones.
Greensboro Police arrested Antonio Pietrantozzi Tuesday after an investigation into his business located at 2447 Battleground Avenue. According to a GPD representative, Pietrantozzi switched out a 3-carat diamond and two emeralds from an elderly woman's ring.
The victim was Peggie Rorie, a former employee of Custom Jewelers Gallery. WFMY News 2's Morgan Hightower spoke with Rorie's daughter who said after her mother was diagnosed with cancer, she asked Pietrantozzi to help sell some of her jewelry. Rorie needed to money to pay for medical bills.
Included in the collection of jewelry Rorie wanted to sell was a diamond and emerald ring. The total carat weight was nearly 4.0 carats and had an estimated value of $30-50,000, according to Police.
Rorie died in January. The 80-year-old's daughter says after getting her mother's ring back from Custom Jewelers, she took it to another jewelry store to be appraised. It was then she learned the diamond had been replaced with a stone called Moissanite and the emeralds were replaced with a "green stone."
Pietrantozzi is charged with one count of Embezzlement Prop. Rec. by Virtue of Office/Employment and one count of Exploitation of Elder Adult or Disabled Adult, both felonies.
Detective Cody St. Pierre told WFMY at this point in his investigation, he has not identified any other victims.
"This is a unique situation. I think people should always be mindful of everything they have if they've been anywhere. This could happen at any type of business at any time," said Det. St. Pierre.
Det. St. Pierre says it's important to keep a paper trail of your precious belongings. In this case, Rorie had a GIA certification for her diamond which proves the ring she bought had real stones. Police are still trying to track down her gems.
WFMY News 2 called Pietrantozzi and went by his business, but he has not returned our messages.
This is a developing story. Stay with WFMY News 2 for more information.
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