Undercover sting finds bogus watches
Posted: 03.09.2011 at 6:41 PM
COLUMBIA (WACH) -- Rolex, Cartier and Breitling all these watches in the hands of Richland County investigators.  But if you look closely these coveted items are all fake.

"If these were real watches they'd probably be valued at $375,000. He was selling it for a fraction of that amount from $150-$500," says Sheriff Leon Lott.

Authorities say Anthony Jaco was arrested for trafficking seventy fake watches.

Sheriff Lott say it’s their first time dealing with counterfeit jewelry usually it's clothing.

Investigators say after receiving a tip that their suspect was selling goods on Craigslist, they decided to go undercover as a potential buyer.

When they met up with the seller at the proposed meeting site he was busted.

"He was having the real Rolex paper work that he was selling with the watches and putting with the watches to show that they were authentic," says Sheriff Lott.

Cliff Eleazer has been a jeweler for 32 years.

He says when buying jewelry the price should be an indicator that you're getting what you paid for.

"If it's too good to be true it is. If a $10,000 watch your buying is for $150 it's not the real thing," says Cliff Eleazer.

He says weight is another factor.

"The weight of a Rolex watch is real heavy. If you pick one up and its light weight you know it’s not real. You need to form a relationship with a local jeweler. I don't know of any jeweler who won't spend time with you to educate you on what your buying," says Eleazer.

Investigators also seized different watch faces and tools used to make the fake watches.

Two guns were also found at the supposed meeting place.

Jaco's charges of trafficking counterfeit trademarks is a felony.