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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sirens & Gavels

Courthouse watch: 7.27.09

Suspects listed on today's court docket included a man accused of a jewelry scam.

Christopher M. Lancaster, 26, was charged in February after police raided Clocktower Jewelry in January, where they say Lancaster was selling jewelry he'd stolen from Dodson Jewelry, where he'd work since July 2008.

According to a probable cause affidavit, another jewelry store employee told Dodson's owner John Fix that she saw Lancaster selling jewelry at Clock Tower and telling the employee it was from "a defunct family jewelry store."

No family store ever existed, police say.

Fix estimated he was missing more than $50,000 in jewelry, according to the affidavit.
A Clock Tower employee told police Lancaster had sold about $18,000 worth of jewelry at the store since September.

Lancaster, who is represented by Senit Lutgen, had an omnibus hearing scheduled today.


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