Members of a sophisticated burglary crew suspected of executing a series of smash-and-grab retail burglaries that netted more than $2.6 million in stolen goods this year have been arrested, the Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday. Three adults and three minors were arrested in connection with the burglaries at high-end eyewear and sunglass shops throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties, the statement said.
Multiple people wearing masks and brandishing handguns ran into Heller Jewelers at the City Center Bishop Ranch shopping mall at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road at around 1:50 p.m. Footage from the scene shows the robbers using tools, including a hammer, a tire iron and a pick axe, to smash glass countertops so they could pull out merchandise in a "takeover-style armed robbery," according to police.
So since March, we've had 30 violent robberies in California targeting jewelry stores. This is something I haven't seen in my 30-plus years of investigating jewelry crime with the NYPD, and 14 years with the Jewelers Security Alliance. I've never seen this level of violence," said Scott Guginsky who is the VP of the Jewelers Security Alliance. The Alliance works to help keep employees and customers safe at jewelry stores across the country.