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Southern California Jewelers Hit by Violent Robberies
A total of seven retail jewelers in southern California have been victims of violent robberies recently, leading the JSA to reiterate its advice for escaping a robbery unscathed.
New York--There has been a rash of violent robberies at jewelry stores across southern California of late, according to the Jewelers’ Security Alliance.
Seven jewelry retailers in the southern part of the state have been targets of violent robberies since mid-January.
In all the incidents, the suspects went for high-end watches, and in two of the robberies--in a Costa Mesa store in January and in a West Hollywood store earlier this month--employees were pistol-whipped.
The JSA reported that suspects have been arrested in two of the cases so far. Three individuals were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the West Hollywood robbery, and one arrest was made in connection with the robbery of a store in Torrance.
In an email alert distributed Monday afternoon, the JSA reiterated that its advice for jewelers during a robbery is to not resist and cooperate fully.
It recommends the following.
--Obey the orders of the robber. Don’t say or do anything, including raising your hands, unless told to do so. Cooperate fully and try not to panic.
--Don’t attempt to disarm the robber or reach for a concealed weapon; assume they will shoot without hesitation.
--Never do or say anything that might anger the robber. Do not, for example, stare at the robber as if trying to memorize their facial characteristics.
--Remember that the shorter amount of time the robbers are in the store, the less risk there is of injury. Once the robbers have merchandise, they usually leave quickly.
--Do not chase the robbers or follow them out of the store.
--Do not press a holdup alarm, if the store has one, until the robbers have left the store and doors are locked. If the police arrive while the robbers are there, or if the robbers return, a deadly hostage situation could develop.
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