Artists report costly thefts at Indian Market
Victims say they have little hope of ever again seeing their valuable wares
Santa Fe police responded to at least four reports Saturday afternoon of jewelry thefts from artists’ booths near the Plaza during the annual Indian Market, while two other artists had yet to file reports Monday but claimed similar thefts.
Only one police report out of four larceny allegations was available Monday, said Santa Fe police spokesman Greg Gurulé. The report stated there was no known suspect, witness, evidence or surveillance.
Jerry Gaussoin, 46, was at booth 261 along Lincoln Avenue when he said he took a 20-minute break Saturday around 2:30 p.m. He said he left his brother, David, and his 12-year-old daughter, Kehascah, in charge of the booth.
When he returned, he said his daughter told him she saw two women approach the booth, try on a gold and turquoise bracelet, then quickly put it in one of their purses and walk away.
“I was panicking and I didn’t know what to do,” Kehascah Gaussoin said in a telephone interview. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I going to tell my dad?’ ”
Jerry Gaussoin said he walked around the market with his daughter trying to locate the women. His daughter described them as being in their 50s. Both wore black dresses, with a black felt, flatbrimmed hat and dark sunglasses.
The Navajo and Picuris Pueblo artist’s hopes sank when the women couldn’t be spotted.
“My faith and trust in humankind has been robbed and taken from me as well,” Gaussoin said.
The 14-carat gold, double-chain bracelet with turquoise was valued on the police report at $1,500.
While many other Indian Market artists displayed their jewelry and wares under glass cases, Gaussoin said he prided himself on offering customers the ability to engage with his work.
“I want people to touch it and try it on because it’s an expensive purchase,” he said.
After Saturday, Gaussoin said he’s considering putting higher valued items in cases and setting up a security camera in his booth.
“I would’ve never have thought of doing something like this,” he said. “But now maybe I will.”
His police report was listed as inactive, which Gurulé said is how it will remain until police get a new lead or tip.
Gurulé said the department had five
police officers and two animal control officers stationed at Indian Market on Saturday.
Gaussoin reported the theft at 3:45 p.m. to an officer stationed at the Plaza. As the artist travels back to his home in Texas, police told him to keep an eye on Craigslist for someone trying to sell the bracelet.
But Gaussoin is not holding his breath.
“I don’t ever expect to see it again,” he said.
Elizabeth Kirk, chairwoman of the board for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, said someone took a ring from her booth Saturday afternoon, although she hadn’t filed a police report as of Monday.
“Our booth is always constantly busy, but it’s hard to say who it could’ve been,” she said. “You tend to get overwhelmed with the number of people.”
Kirk, 42, has sold at Indian Market for the past four years and has been attending the market with her father since 1982. She said she has had two items go missing at other shows, but never at Indian Market.
“You just take the risk when you put your stuff out,” Kirk said. “It’s something that we constantly struggle with.”
The Navajo and Isleta Pueblo artist said she had six people managing her booth 725 on Lincoln Avenue near the New Mexico History Museum. She said around 3:15 p.m. Saturday she noticed the $450 silver ring with sugilite stones was gone.
Between her booth and work with the Indian Market board, she said reporting the theft wasn’t a top priority, especially because she had few details to offer police.
Kirk said she is going to reconsider how to display her jewelry, but doesn’t foresee future changes for the market as a whole.
“There’s no way we can police every single booth,” she said.
Estella Loretto, who sold at booth 760 along Lincoln Avenue, also found jewelry missing, but unlike the others, she said it happened around 10 a.m.
The Jemez Pueblo artist said she saw two women approach to look at a pendant and a bracelet. By the time she was done with another customer, the two women and the jewelry were gone.
She valued the bracelet with star designs and diamonds at $4,800. She valued her silver and turquoise starburst pendant at $2,100.
By Monday evening, Loretto had not filed a police report, she said, because the market had been overwhelming and she didn’t have much hope in regaining her pieces.
“There’s always people taking stuff,” she said. “It’s sad people think they could get away with it.”