Armed robber steals former U.S. senator's jewelry worth $600,000

Former Colorado Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell wants his jewelry back.

A robber stole more than $600,000 worth of Campbell's creations -- bracelets, rings and a few pendants -- in an armed heist of his daughter's Durango, Colo. gallery Monday night, he said Thursday.

"Oh man, you work your heart out and then some S.O.B. tries to take the easy way out," said Campbell, a Republican who retired from the Senate in 2004.

"Whether it's paintings or bronzes or jewelry, to a store it might be called just inventory, but to the artist who put their inspiration, their dreams and time and effort into it, it's a different thing. It's like taking a piece of your life. That's three years of my life."

Durango police Capt. Micki Browning said authorities are still looking for the suspect, who pointed a gun at an employee at the Sorrel Sky Gallery and ordered her to unlock two jewelry cases around 6 p.m. Monday.

He then told the employee to go to the back of the store, and took everything inside the cases.

Police suspect the same man may have been involved in another robbery that night at a Check into Cash store.

Browning said police are hoping the robber will try to unload the jewelry at a pawn shop so it can be recovered intact, rather than melted down.

Campbell's jewelry has been featured in the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

He said most of the pieces taken Monday were fashioned out of 18-karat gold, and several had a retail value of more than $10,000.

The most expensive item was an 18-karat gold bracelet studded with various sizes of diamonds, with a retail value of $40,000, Campbell said.

"I'll make more jewelry," Campbell said. "I just hope they catch those rats."

The suspect was described as 5-feet, 8-inches tall and in his mid-20s, with brown eyes and short or buzzed hair. He had fair skin and was possibly Hispanic.

The man was wearing a black beanie hat with a short bill, black baggy pants and skater shoes and carried a black backpack.

Police are asking anyone with information about the robbery to call the Durango police department at 970-375-4700.

(Sara Burnett and M.E. Sprengelmeyer are reporters for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colo.)