Police charge Warwick jewelry store owner

The police have charged the owner of a Post Road tiffany jewelry store that closed abruptly a few weeks ago with 21 felony counts of unlawful appropriation in connection with jewelry he had accepted for repair or to sell on consignment.Strand Jewelers owner Daniel Martino, 57, of 107 Wheeler Ave. in Cranston, turned himself in to the police Tuesday after a detective left a message on his cell phone advising that the police had a warrant out for his arrest, Police Capt. Michael J. Babula said Wednesday.The value of the pieces of jewelry involved range from $1,000 to as much as $20,000, Babula said.Babula urged that any former customers from Strand tiffany pendants Jewelers, located at 1191 Post Rd., who have concerns about property or money in the shop’s possession should call the Warwick police detectives at (401) 468-4232.Martino is being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston on a charge of violating bail on charges that were brought in February by the Warwick and Foster police departments.At that time the Warwick police charged Martino with carrying a handgun without a license, a felony, and possession of marijuana/first offense, a misdemeanor, Babula said. Those charges are still pending, he said.Also in February, the Foster police charged Martino with domestic simple assault and domestic disorderly conduct. Martino pleaded no contest that month to both charges and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, according to court documents.A status conference on the Warwick and Foster charges filed in February has been scheduled for tiffany earrings May 18. A felony screening on the Warwick unlawful appropriation charges has been scheduled for June 1.The police began investigating the closing of Strand Jewelers in the wake of numerous complaints from customers, some of whom said the business shut its doors without returning jewelry they had left there for repair or sale.