ARTESIA, Calif. A wave of smash-and-grab robberies is hitting Indian-owned jewelry stores across California, leaving business owners shaken and authorities on high alert.
The latest violent heist happened on July 1 at Amber Jewelers and Watch Palace in Artesia, just before 6 p.m. Surveillance footage shows at least 12 masked men storming the store, smashing glass cases, and grabbing handfuls of gold and diamonds. Three people took cover behind a counter during the chaos.
Investigators say the suspects fled in multiple getaway vehicles. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Lakewood Station is handling the case.
This attack is part of a troubling trend. Since May 2024, at least eight Indian jewelry stores across the Bay Area and Southern California have been hit similarly.
In Sunnyvale, just days before the Artesia robbery, suspects targeted a jewelry shop on East El Camino Real. On June 29, around 2:45 p.m., a group rammed a stolen vehicle into the store, then smashed displays with hammers. The heist lasted less than 90 seconds.
The store owner was hurt during the incident and later hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety found a possible suspect vehicle, but they ended the pursuit for public safety reasons.
Authorities say this isn’t an isolated incident. Other Bay Area stores targeted include Nitin Jewelers, PNG Jewelers in Sunnyvale, Bhindi Jewelers in Newark, Bombay Jewelry Company in Berkeley, Kumar Jewelers in Fremont, and BJ Jewelers in Dublin. Police have made arrests in two of those casesâ€â€at PNG and Kumar Jewelersâ€â€but the remaining suspects are still at large.
The July 1 robbery in Artesia is among the boldest yet. A Ring security video shows a group of masked men wearing hoodies and wielding tools rushing the store. Witnesses say as many as 30 people may have been involved.
Another nearby store was also hit at the same time. Both businesses were left with broken windows, shattered glass doors, and destroyed display cases. The next day, plywood covered the storefronts. Store co-owner Freeha said she and her family had never experienced anything like this since opening the store in 1993.
“We were the first ones in this plaza,†she said. “It was very traumatizing for us, and I don’t know how we are going to handle it.â€Â
An office above the jewelry stores also suffered damage. Its glass door was shattered during the robbery. No injuries were reported in the Artesia incident, and police have yet to announce any arrests.
These incidents are becoming more frequent and more violent. On March 30, suspects used a stolen vehicle to ram another Sunnyvale jewelry store. They fled empty-handed after an employee pulled a gun on them.
On June 20, thieves used a stolen car to break into a Dublin store. The owner had removed all merchandise after hearing about a recent robbery in Fremont, so the suspects left with nothing. Law enforcement officials believe organized crime rings may be behind the string of attacks.
Business owners and residents are calling for better protection. Many stores already have security cameras and buzzer entry systems. But in cases like these, those measures are not enough to stop large, coordinated groups.
With millions of dollars in merchandise stolen and damage still being assessed, police are asking the public for help. Victims are left dealing with not only financial losses but also emotional trauma.
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If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these criminals, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.
