ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – Right now a bunch of antique rings worth thousands of dollars are in the hands of a thief, and St. Pete police need your help tracking down the man who stole them.

8 On Your Side went to the shop on the 2400 block of MLK Street North on Wednesday to speak with the owner who is frustrated and said this couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

Andrea and Friends Antique Mall owner, Andrea LeGrant, said between 12 p.m. and 12:45 pm on Oct. 17, a man was caught on camera stealing 36 antique rings from her shop, valued at a total of $15,000.

“It’s sad because the people here are good people. We’ve been here a couple of times and they have a lot of stuff in this place,” said customer Frank Turano who lives in Tampa.

“[The suspect] knew what he was doing, he knew what he was going for,” LeGrant said.

The shop owner says they always have two people working in the store, but the suspect struck when one employee went to the bathroom.

“In that short period of time he went in there, had a screwdriver in his pocket, undid two locks, and managed to get them both off,” LeGrant said.

She said it couldn’t have come at a worse time with business hurting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had to close down for seven weeks, it’s been tough but we’ve been holding our own…until now,” LeGrant said.

“It’s a shame, people just don’t have respect for other people’s property,” Turano said.

LeGrant said to add insult to injury, the same case was broken into two years ago.

“I absolutely think it’s the same guy,” LeGrant said. She continued “It just hurts, it just really hurts. Hurts to think someone would just come to take someone else’s hard work and enjoy the benefits of stealing.

Police ask if you have any information on this suspect’s identity, call the St. Petersburg Police at 727-893-7780 or use the anonymous tip-411! Text “SPPD” and your tip to 847-411 (tip-411).