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Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler
9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Thieves stole $1 million in jewelry during a smash-and-grab at 9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey.
Iselin, N.J.—A jewelry store in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery earlier this month, with the perpetrators stealing around $1 million in jewelry.
Just before 8 p.m. on Aug. 8, four masked men wearing all black and armed with sledgehammers rushed into 9lakha Jewelers, according to a statement from the Woodbridge Police Department (WPD).
An additional suspect stayed in the getaway vehicle, and another held the store’s door open, according to surveillance footage shared with ABC 7 New York.
The jeweler’s Instagram page shows that it sells 22-karat gold jewelry and notes that it caters to South Asian families in the United States.
The robbery took under a minute, officials said.
Co-owner Sonu Chauhan, a former IT worker, told ABC 7 that he came to the U.S. in 2007, and poured his savings into the store, which he opened with Sushmita Chauhan a year ago.
The co-owners told ABC 7 they were concerned this might be part of a pattern of thieves targeting South Asian businesses in the area.
Virani Jewelers is 9lakha Jewelers’ neighbor on Oak Tree Road, a South Asian cultural and commercial district home to many family-owned businesses.
Virani Jewelers was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery last July.
The store also was one of several South Asian jewelry businesses hit by a ring of jewelry thieves operating on the East Coast between 2022 and 2023. Sixteen suspects were charged in those thefts in 2023.
Though the targets are similar, officials have not stated that these crimes are connected.
In an email to National Jeweler, a spokesperson for the WPD said it “maintains a very close and engaging relationship with the Oak Tree Road jewelry community and store owners/operators.”
WPD patrol officers and community relations officers routinely meet with the local jewelry store owners.
Since the beginning of the year, the WPD has conducted more than 553 high-visibility special patrols and checks to ensure the security of the jewelers on Oak Tree Road and the surrounding business community, the spokesperson added.
“The WPD recognizes the importance and vitality of the Oak Tree Road business community and has responded to and/or received very few reports concerning criminal activity in the Oak Tree Road/South Asian business community.”
In an email alert mentioning the incident, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance said it has recorded 13 similar robberies of stores carrying high-value gold jewelry in New Jersey since May 2025.
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Just before 8 p.m. on Aug. 8, four masked men wearing all black and armed with sledgehammers rushed into 9lakha Jewelers, according to a statement from the Woodbridge Police Department (WPD).
An additional suspect stayed in the getaway vehicle, and another held the store’s door open, according to surveillance footage shared with ABC 7 New York.
The jeweler’s Instagram page shows that it sells 22-karat gold jewelry and notes that it caters to South Asian families in the United States.
The robbery took under a minute, officials said.
Co-owner Sonu Chauhan, a former IT worker, told ABC 7 that he came to the U.S. in 2007, and poured his savings into the store, which he opened with Sushmita Chauhan a year ago.
The co-owners told ABC 7 they were concerned this might be part of a pattern of thieves targeting South Asian businesses in the area.
Virani Jewelers is 9lakha Jewelers’ neighbor on Oak Tree Road, a South Asian cultural and commercial district home to many family-owned businesses.
Virani Jewelers was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery last July.
The store also was one of several South Asian jewelry businesses hit by a ring of jewelry thieves operating on the East Coast between 2022 and 2023. Sixteen suspects were charged in those thefts in 2023.
Though the targets are similar, officials have not stated that these crimes are connected.
In an email to National Jeweler, a spokesperson for the WPD said it “maintains a very close and engaging relationship with the Oak Tree Road jewelry community and store owners/operators.”
WPD patrol officers and community relations officers routinely meet with the local jewelry store owners.
Since the beginning of the year, the WPD has conducted more than 553 high-visibility special patrols and checks to ensure the security of the jewelers on Oak Tree Road and the surrounding business community, the spokesperson added.
“The WPD recognizes the importance and vitality of the Oak Tree Road business community and has responded to and/or received very few reports concerning criminal activity in the Oak Tree Road/South Asian business community.”
In an email alert mentioning the incident, the Jewelers’ Security Alliance said it has recorded 13 similar robberies of stores carrying high-value gold jewelry in New Jersey since May 2025.
JSA shared a few tips for jewelers about smash-and-grab robberies.
The top tip is not to resist. The suspects may be armed, and it’s best to stay out of their way.
Consider utilizing showcases with burglary-resistant, laminated glass on the front and sides, and special frames that can withstand a hammer.
“JSA has not seen robbers take retaliatory action when laminated glass is used and robbers are unable to enter a showcase or are able to take only a small amount of merchandise from a small hole,” it said, adding that thieves will often hurt themselves on the glass and leave behind DNA evidence.
An audible glass breakage alarm on your showcases also can scare off robbers.
When setting up showcases, divide up high-end watches and loose diamonds among several cases to hopefully reduce the amount of the loss in a smash-and-grab robbery.
Don’t display the store’s entire inventory of high-target products. Instead, keep some in the safe.
Some jewelers set up tracking devices in jewelry pads and boxes to track stolen merchandise.
JSA added that having a buzzer on the door has prevented numerous robberies.
Consider hiring armed, off-duty police officers or uniformed guards as a deterrent.
When setting up surveillance cameras, opt for eye-level cameras inside and outside the store, including ones trained on cars in the parking lot.
“Ceiling cameras too often capture useless photos of the top of heads or hats,” noted JSA.
Keep a logbook of suspicious incidents and save those surveillance videos, which can aid any subsequent investigations.
Make sure employees are properly trained to spot individuals who are casing the store.
JSA encourages jewelers to share information and photos about casings and suspects with the police and JSA, as well as other local jewelers, to help prevent crime and assist with investigations.
Lastly, jewelry stores located within malls should let mall security know about a pattern of smash-and-grab robberies. Discuss prevention, surveillance coverage, and the protocol to follow if a smash-and-grab occurs.
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