$10,000 reward offered in capture of men who broke into home, robbed coin shop

Authorities Friday announced a $10,000 reward offered in connection with a kidnap-robbery in which thieves stole $175,000 from a Wichita coin and precious metal business.

Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is offering the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of two men who accosted a couple in their home near 143rd Street East and Central at gunpoint at about 3 a.m. Tuesday. The robbers kidnapped the man and forced him to let them into his business – Heartland Coin Gallery on North Greenwich – where they made off with cash, coins, scrap jewelry and seven guns.

“This is a particularly concerning crime, where you have someone do, whatever you want to call it, a home invasion robbery, an aggravated burglary, a kidnapping,” said sheriff’s Lt. Lin Dehning. “That’s a very personal and very serious crime.”

The reward offer is being funded by an anonymous donor, said Stephanie Fisk McCurdy, interim executive director of Crime Stoppers, and its parent organization, the Wichita Crime Commission.

“The individual that came forward, they really wanted to make sure this crime was solved against these people,” McCurdy said. “When these members stepped up with this reward, it really puts it in everybody’s mind: OK, we’re really putting some effort behind this, let’s really get behind the Sheriff’s Office, let’s get some tips in and let’s see what the investigators can do with that.”

The robbers wore ski masks during the crime. One was described as white, 30 to 35 years old, between 5-feet-6 and 6 feet tall, about 240 pounds with an athletic build. The other was described as a black man in his 30s, 5-feet-5 with a stocky build.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 316-267-2111 or submit a tip online at www.wichitacrimestoppers.com. Tips must be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers to qualify for the reward.

This story was originally published April 24, 2015 at 3:34 PM with the headline "$10,000 reward offered in capture of men who broke into home, robbed coin shop."