$140,000 of gold stolen from SUV in West Philadelphia

WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Investigators say someone stole more than $100,000 of gold in West Philadelphia.

It was around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday when police were called out to the intersection of 52nd and Market streets for a report of a robbery.

Simon Cohen's passenger window is now smashed out and the passenger side of the vehicle is covered in fingerprint dust after a thief broke into the SUV and stole a bag containing $140,000 in gold.

Cohen says the heist happened in just a few minutes after he walked into a gold business to pick up some cash.

Cohen explains, "I came out. I saw a guy telling me someone was passing on a bike. He hit that with a hammer and he took the bag and left."

Cohen is a wholesale gold dealer. It is a dangerous business. He and others in it can be targets.

He doesn't believe this was random act.

"Obviously someone knew me," he said.

We asked if he thinks he was followed, to which he replied, "100 percent, because I'm here every week. They know someone was following me."

Detectives went door to door looking for surveillance that may provide a clue to catch the thief.

Cohen says if the stolen gold is not retrieved he may be on the hook to pay back his New York supplier.

It's money he doesn't have.

He's hopeful detectives will move fast to make an arrest.