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Thieves Nab $500K in Jewelry in Calif. Group Smash-and-Grab
The Berkeley robbery follows two other Bay Area robberies involving multiple suspects, one in May and one in June.
A group of robbers stole around $500,000 jewelry in a smash-and-grab in Berkeley, California, earlier this month.
Berkeley, Calif.—A group of robbers stole jewelry worth at least half a million dollars in a smash-and-grab in Berkeley, California, on July 6.
One suspect is seen on surveillance video approaching Bombay Jewelry Company near University and San Pablo avenues shortly after 2 p.m., according to local news.
Store workers initially refused to let the person in until he removed clothing concealing his identity, said JSA.
Once he made himself visible, employees buzzed him into the store.
When the outer door was opened, the subject held it ajar while six other individuals wearing masks, hoods and gloves and armed with guns and sledgehammers ran inside, JSA said.
They broke windows in the security area, kicking their way into the store, where they smashed display cases. Local news said they held the owner and several employees at gunpoint.
After spending a little more than a minute inside the store, the suspects fled with at least $500,000 in jewelry, said local news.
They left in a black Honda Civic and a gray Dodge Charger.
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One suspect is seen on surveillance video approaching Bombay Jewelry Company near University and San Pablo avenues shortly after 2 p.m., according to local news.
Store workers initially refused to let the person in until he removed clothing concealing his identity, said JSA.
Once he made himself visible, employees buzzed him into the store.
When the outer door was opened, the subject held it ajar while six other individuals wearing masks, hoods and gloves and armed with guns and sledgehammers ran inside, JSA said.
They broke windows in the security area, kicking their way into the store, where they smashed display cases. Local news said they held the owner and several employees at gunpoint.
After spending a little more than a minute inside the store, the suspects fled with at least $500,000 in jewelry, said local news.
They left in a black Honda Civic and a gray Dodge Charger.
The smash-and-grab comes about a month after another group smash-and-grab robbery in Sunnyvale, California, roughly an hour south of Berkeley.
Approximately 20 suspects robbed PNG Jewelers, located at 791 E. El Camino Real, around 1:27 p.m. on June 12, according to Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS).
They used hammers and tools to break the jewelry display cases.
The suspects fled the scene in multiple vehicles before Sunnyvale DPS officers arrived.
Officers located and pursued two of the evading vehicles, which were heading down Highway 101 toward the peninsula. They eventually lost sight of both, but the second vehicle was located later by allied agency officers.
Five of the suspects attempted to flee on foot. Four were taken into custody in the nearby city of San Carlos, and the fifth was located close by, the Sunnyvale DPS said.
The suspects were identified by police as: Tonga Latu, Tavake Esafe, Ofa Ahomana, Kilifi Leaaetoa, and Afuhia Lavakeiaho.
They were booked into the Santa Clara County jail for various offenses, including armed robbery, felony vehicle evasion, resisting arrest, burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, vandalism, possession of burglary tools, and outstanding warrants.
Some of the jewelry was recovered, said Sunnyvale DPS, but the total value for the jewelry that was taken is unknown.
No one was injured during the robbery.
Sunnyvale police said investigators are working to determine if the smash-and-grab is related to another jewelry store robbery in Sunnyvale that occurred in May and also involved multiple suspects.
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