Native American artist loses his inventory and equipment to theft
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Tol-Pi-Yine Simbola showed the small box of jewelry left behind after someone broke into his truck days before Christmas.
“So basically, this is what is left of my full inventory and what I had,” he said.
And it all started with what was supposed to be a happy trip to see his family.
“I went down to ABQ to decorate with my mom and little brothers for Christmas,” he said.
But soon, Simbola would also be visiting with police after someone broke into his truck in the middle of the night. Simbola recalled the moment he found out.
“Sunday morning, I got a text message of a picture of my business card holder and specifically one that my mom had made me,” he said. “And I asked for his address, went over and picked it up, which was about three houses down from my mom’s. And that made me click in my head that, you know, Oh, no, something might have happened.
“So I immediately ran to my car and I opened my passenger’s door and everything was just obviously ransacked and taken.”
And they didn’t stop there. Simbola said he remembered telling his mother what happened.
“She came out and I started looking through my vehicle trying to find what was missing and I found that they also tried to actually steal my whole vehicle by breaking and starting the ignition or trying to start it with a pair of scissors that I had there in the car,” he said.
He also had the tools of his trade, and beautiful rings, bracelets and earrings. All were hand crafted and made with love. It was jewelry he had hoped to sell and make money from this Christmas.
“The retail side was around $20,000, at least around 2025,” Simbola said.
But, it isn’t just the money. It’s the time it takes to make one piece.
“I try to try to streamline things and, and kind of take my time in a sense, because also the stuff that I create is very detailed and I’m very nitpicky,” he said.
Simbola said this experience has shown him one important thing in particular.
“And I have, in a way, even more respect for my own work now that that I had that taken from me,” he said.