A group of thieves broke into a La Verne jewelry store in what police describe as a scene from a movie.
The crime was captured on surveillance video, but it’s how the thieves committed the crime that has police on alert.
Tonight the business owner has his driveway boarded up and is recovering from what happened inside.
A shocking sight captured by nearby workers has put the La Verne shopping center on Foothill Boulevard on guard.
“Now I park in the back at night and walk out with pepper spray in hand and my keys at the ready because you never know,” said Kristin Glass, an employee at the mall.
Rodeo Jewelry’s surveillance video captured the moments a car crashed into its front entrance around noon Saturday. Moments later, four suspects are seen robbing the place, some using hammers.
“One of the suspects acted as a guard for the other three and got between the robbery suspects and where the owner was. He grabbed a chair and hit him over the head,” said Lt. Cory Leeper of the La Verne Police Department.
La Verne police say the owner, his wife and son were inside the store and saw all the suspects drive off in a black sedan with bags of jewelry.
Detectives hope the video will help identify the four robbers who had their faces covered.
The business owner is recovering from the physical attack that local residents say has them looking over their shoulders in fear.
“Seeing that this happened in my city and knowing that someone entered the store is scary. It’s very scary because I live a thousand feet behind this building,” said John Payne, a resident.
“You could clearly see that they were very upset. Very upsetting,” Glass said.
Police said the car used to crash the business was stolen and the thieves made off with about $300,000 worth of jewelry.
Tonight, the police are asking anyone with information to alert the authorities.
