Jewelry Store Hit in Daylight Smash-and-Grab
In a bold daytime burglary, thieves crashed their vehicle into a jewelry store in Southern California on Friday afternoon. This chaotic scene was captured on both surveillance and cell phone footage.
The Anaheim Police Department reported that officials arrived at Classic Jewelers on East Santa Ana Canyon Road around 2:30 p.m., according to local news.
Store employees informed the police that several suspects drove a dark-colored Nissan Rogue into the entrance, entered the establishment, and proceeded to steal jewelry.
The store owner shared, “Eight to 10 men rushed in wearing masks with trash cans, crowbars, and hammers, smashing every display case.” He recounted the alarming moment when he tried to confront the suspects, shouting, “‘I have a gun. Come out. I have a gun.’ But, shockingly, they grabbed my gun too.”
The owner recalled feeling a surge of fear: “My life flashed before my eyes,” he told news outlets.
According to the owner, the group made off with around $1 million worth of goods, including gold, jewelry, and firearms, in under a minute. “This is our livelihood,” he added, clearly shaken.
Following the heist, the bandits escaped in two Dodge Charger sedans. Police later discovered that the Nissan, which had been driven into the store, was stolen.
Fortunately for the jewelry store, an employee managed to record the fleeing vehicle, capturing the license plate in the process. This proved crucial.
Police quickly zeroed in on the car, which was later involved in a multi-vehicle crash. Four individuals—a driver and three passengers—attempted to flee but were swiftly apprehended.
The police aviation unit then spotted what they believed to be a second suspect vehicle, also linked to a multi-vehicle accident. Two men thought to be involved in the heist were arrested, and a handgun was found at the scene.
Authorities later located a tray of stolen jewelry in one of the seized vehicles. Several hours later, two more suspects were arrested in a different residential area.
All eight suspects, all under 24 years old, were identified, including:
- Jose Andres Martinez-Colindres, 24, of Inglewood
- Leontree Gipson, 23, of Los Angeles
- Deondre Jones, 23, also from Los Angeles
- Tyreind Brown, 20, from Compton
- Killen Toles, 20, of Inglewood
- Kamari Toles, 20, of Inglewood
- Latrell Matthews, 19, from Los Angeles
Among those arrested was a 17-year-old male from Los Angeles. The adult suspects face multiple felony charges as they await resolution from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The juvenile was released to a guardian while further proceedings are determined.
Several uninvolved drivers sustained injuries in the crashes, but thankfully, their conditions were reported as non-life-threatening.
