CA Malls See Wave of Smash-and-Grabs Carried Out by Groups
The latest happened Nov. 15, when nine suspects smashed up the showcases at a mall jewelry store in Concord, California.

According to the Concord Police Department, on Nov. 15 around 7:30 p.m., nine people armed with hammers entered the Iceberg Diamonds store in Sun Valley Mall.
They started smashing the display cases and stealing jewelry. Employees who tried to intervene were kept back by the robbers.
Some customers inside the mall called 911, mistaking the sound of the hammers hitting the showcases and glass breaking for gunshots.
No one was injured in the robbery, but the nine individuals escaped before police arrived, Concord PD said.
In its most recent email alert, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance noted the Concord robbery is one of several smash-and-grabs carried out by groups of three to seven individuals—or, in this case, nine—at mall jewelry stores in California.
According to JSA, there were similar incidences in Milpitas, California on May 20; Hayward on May 21; Daly City on Sept. 15; and San Jose on Oct. 28 and 29.
Anyone with information in any of these cases is asked to contact JSA at 212-687-0328 or jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org.
In the same email alert that included information on the Concord robbery, JSA noted another recent smash-and-grab, this one committed by a lone male suspect at a jewelry store in Tacoma, Washington on Nov. 16.
JSA has a list of tips for staying safe and mitigating losses in the event of a grab-and-run robbery. They include the following.
— Do not resist in a smash-and-grab robbery. A hammer can be a dangerous weapon and the suspects may be armed with guns as well.
— Audible glass breakage alarms on showcases can scare away smash-and-grab robbers.
— Place cameras at eye level both inside and outside the store. Ceiling cameras are not as effective, as they generally capture useless photos of the top of heads or hats.
— Spread out high-end watches and loose diamonds among several showcases. This can help reduce loss in the event of a smash and grab.
— Use burglary-resistant laminated glass on the front and sides of showcases as well as special frames that can withstand many blows with a hammer.
JSA said it hasn’t seen robbers take retaliatory action when laminated glass is used.
The right glass and frames can prevent grab-and-run robberies entirely or will only yield enough to create a small opening. This reduces the amount of product robbers can grab and could result in them getting cut when they reach in, leaving behind DNA evidence in the form of blood.
For more security recommendations, including holiday- and event-specific safety tips, watch National Jeweler’s latest webinar featuring Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff in conversation with JSA President John J. Kennedy and Berkley Asset Protection co-founder and Executive Vice President Greg Smith.
The Latest

Jeffrey Zimmer's decades of leadership at Reeds Jewelers are defined by integrity, a love of sourcing gemstones, and a heart for community.

The new high jewelry design and production process takes 30 days or less from concept to completion, the auction house said.

The holiday catalog for 2025 features never-before-seen images of more than 100 one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

The brand has released a second installment of its collection of traditional and non-traditional commitment heirlooms.


Corey rescued New England chain Day’s Jewelers, preserving its legacy with strong people skills, pragmatism, and a “get-it-done” attitude.

The Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.

The upcoming show provides savvy retailers with the opportunity to stock their cases with best sellers in advance of the holiday season.

Timepieces at Luxury will take place at The Venetian and, like Luxury, will be invitation-only for the first two days.

The auction house named a new global head of jewelry, as well as a new head of the jewelry department for the Americas.

As chairman of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Tom Dixon has been tasked with honoring the past and shaping the future of the family-run store.

Katty Villapando Lyte and Mica Rencher received a $10,000 grant for their business, Shimmer Culture LLC.

The parents of the Dallas Mavericks rookie bought their engagement ring at a Day’s store in Bangor, Maine, in 1997.

The UK-based brand sourced the gemstones, which are fully traceable, from an artisanal mining community in Tanzania.

The trio of Advent calendars include a version with 18-karat gold and lab-grown diamond jewelry in a red lacquer jewelry box.

Created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, the lock is part of a four-piece collection that took two years to bring to fruition.

Jewelry industry veteran Alisa Bunger has taken on the role.

The company and industry leader’s two-decade tenure with De Beers will come to a close at the end of the month.

“The Winter Egg” set the world auction record for a Fabergé piece twice at previous Christie’s sales.

The company will pay 1.5x silver’s current spot price for each pound of silver oxide batteries submitted.

The line includes a “Shadow” series crafted exclusively for the new men’s offering and reimagined styles from the brand’s core collections.

The rough on offer was recovered from a newer area at the Montepuez mine.

The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.

The champagne colorway in her newest “Ombré” collection combines white and trendy brown diamonds, a departure from her usual vibrant hues.

Kosann partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to create a set of necklaces inspired by the artwork on samurai sword handguards.

The brand’s first high jewelry collection, “Tempest” plays with movement while calling to mind the folklore of the sea.

Proceeds from its jewelry raffle will go to a volunteer-run fire and rescue group in the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales, Australia.