Owner of West Salem jewelry business sentenced to 20 years for stealing money, heirlooms from customers – Salem Reporter

A West Salem jeweler who used his business to steal family heirlooms, in some cases reselling sentimental items or melting them down, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday.

Douglas W. Gamble, 58, admitted in a plea agreement that he used his West Salem business to steal thousands of dollars from customers between 2018 and 2022, according to the plea document. His business, Timeless Jeweler, 1105 Edgewater St. N.W., provided jewelry repair services for custom pieces, along with appraisals. 

Gamble used various schemes to defraud customers and steal family heirlooms, including one woman’s wedding ring from her late husband, Polk County’s District Attorney Aaron Felton said.

Police arrested Gamble last September and said in a statement after that he scammed victims out of more than $700,000. Facebook reviews of his business claim he held onto valuable items for months with no updates or disappeared with items customers brought in for appraisal.

Felton said there was evidence that Gamble melted down one person’s belongings they had trusted with him. 

Another victim rediscovered a belonging being sold by a dealer in New York and was able to get it returned after explaining how Gamble stole it. 

In four cases, Gamble stole from people 65 years old or more. 

“The people that did business with him in West Salem, they trusted him,” Felton said. Many people who knew Gamble were shocked to learn of his crimes. While now satisfied with the result of his 20-year sentence, Felton said people are suffering the loss of trust they placed in Gamble.

On Tuesday Gamble pleaded guilty to 21 counts of theft, including 14 counts of aggravated theft. He also pleaded guilty to criminal mistreatment of his father. 

On Thursday, a judge dismissed six counts of aggravated theft as part of the plea deal. 

In court, people shared personal stories about how Gamble’s thefts affected them.

“It’s heartbreaking for those folks,” Felton said.

In a statement, the Polk County District Attorney’s Office estimated the restitution sought on behalf of Gamble’s victims to exceed $500,000. 

Gamble’s business designed, repaired and consigned jewelry, Salem police said in a statement after Gamble’s arrest. The department said at the time that it began looking at Gamble as a person of interest after a series of customers filed reports beginning in late 2022.

Salem police investigated the case, and Felton and Deputy District Attorney Connor Amundson prosecuted it. 

Gamble closed his shop in late October 2022, according to the police affidavit.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].

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