Man faces charges for alleged serial jewel thefts at downtown Santa Fe businesses

SANTA FE, N.M. — A man accused of pulling off an over $200,000 high-end jewelry heist is finally facing charges, which some say is only just the beginning.

Edgar Guzman told police he was homeless and living at DeVargas Park, just walking distance from some of the stores he is accused of robbing. These stores are now without unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, such as Native American jewelry and art, that travelers expect to find in Santa Fe.

"It’s a huge hit when you’re talking stuff that’s one-of-a-kind that can’t be replaced," said Sandy Swatek, the office manager for Manitou Galleries, one of the businesses near the Plaza that was robbed.

Swatek says, in February and again in March, they were burglarized – and Guzman allegedly got away with $250,000 worth of items. Police accuse him of making the rounds at this business and others.

"To know that he’s been in and out of jail is ridiculous," Swatek said. "It’s hard to understand how he keeps getting out so he can continue terrorizing all the different businesses downtown."

Momeni’s Gallery nearby was hit even harder back in December. Guzman was arrested for stealing around $100,000 worth of items as the alleged suspect in the case. Police say Guzman even admitted to taking items and selling them to tourists around the Plaza.

Folks with Momeni’s say they were hit twice and Guzman was caught the second time. He was arrested but it’s unclear what actually happened to those charges – and a list of prior charges all appear dismissed in the court system.

At Manitou, they are hoping for some sort of justice and prosecutors are looking to keep Guzman locked up this time around.

"This is our home. this is an invasion. so it’s really hard to accept," Swatek said.