Man Swipes $11K Diamond Engagement Ring From Astoria Shop: NYPD

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Police are looking for a man who swiped a diamond engagement ring worth more than $11,000 from an Astoria jewelry store in January.

The man walked into the Zales jewelry store at 31-07 Steinway St. midday on Thursday, Jan. 23, and started looking at engagement rings on display, according to the NYPD.

When the store employee helping him was distracted, the man switched the store's ring with a fake version, police said.

The NYPD on Tuesday released a surveillance image of a suspect wanted for questioning.

Anyone with information in regard to the identity of this male is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.