A jewelry store employee was checking the price tags on two diamond earrings for a potential customer-turned-thief when the shopper snatched the merchandise out of the employee’s hands and fled.

The theft took place the evening of Monday, Dec. 27, at the Diamond Ring Company inside the Mall of Georgia. An officer with the Gwinnett County Police Department was dispatched to the location at 6:32 p.m. There, he met with the employee who described the suspect as older than 50, about 5-foot-9, possibly Asian and wearing a mask that prevented the employee from being able to identify the suspect further. Despite giving chase, the employee was unable to detain the suspect, who exited the mall.

Store video surveillance confirmed the employee’s account of the theft.

The earrings were one- and two-carat diamond studs worth a total of $25,799, according to an incident report completed by the responding officer.