Video: Nearly $900K of jewelry stolen during Irvine smash and grab robbery
Three suspects armed with hammers made off with nearly a million dollars in stolen jewelry after committing a brazen smash-and-grab robbery in Irvine on Monday.
#IRVINEPDPIO - On Monday, July 31, at 12:20 p.m., three male black suspects dressed in black masks and clothing entered a jewelry store near Jamboree Rd. and Michelson Dr. They smashed display cases with hammers and stole almost $900,000 worth of jewelry. If you have any pic.twitter.com/nPoyuj3bkZ
— Irvine Police Department (@IrvinePolice) August 1, 2023
Irvine police released surveillance footage, which was captured inside Jewels by Alan, located at 2963 Michelson Drive.
As the suspects rush the business and begin smashing the displays, two customers can be heard screaming as they drop to the floor to protect themselves from flying shards of glass.
"I was standing there, watching these two women on the floor," said Alan, who owns the jewelry store. "They jump over them and broke the glass and glass is showering over them. I was just so worried they'd be in bad shape."
The footage shows the suspects then sweeping handfuls of jewelry into plastic trashcans they also brought with them.
In all, they broke 12 display cases and took more than $900,000 in stolen goods from the store before jumping into a waiting car and fleeing from the scene.
Investigators believe it's possible that they are connected to at least two recent heists that have happened in recent weeks, one in Downey and the other in Ontario.
"The fact that they would be willing to come in, in broad daylight, with customers in the store as well as three employees, basically stepping over the customers as they're smashing the glass and taking the property just shows you that there's just no regard for anybody's safety or our justice system," said IPD Sergeant Karie Davies. "They feel they're not gonna get caught."