Suspects Captured in Jewelry Robbery

Two suspects in an Orange jewelry store holdup were taken into custody Tuesday after a brief chase, a shooting and a collision with a police car, authorities said.

Arrested on suspicion of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon were Randall Ray Stuart, 37, described as a transient, and Jacqueline Sette, 32, of Riverside, the alleged driver of the getaway car, Orange Police Sgt. Michael Pollok said.

No one was injured in the incident, but both cars sustained moderate damage, Pollok said.

According to police, an armed man matching the description of Stuart held up the Orange Jewelry Exchange in the 2200 block of Tustin Avenue and fled in a waiting car at about 4:40 p.m. Tuesday. Jewelry store employees telephoned police and provided a description of the vehicle.

Pollok said Officer Brad Davis spotted the car at Orange-Olive Road and followed it onto St. James Avenue in north Orange. When the suspects’ car made a U-turn and bore down on Davis, Pollok said the officer blocked the road with his police car and fired a shotgun blast at the oncoming car.

The car smashed into Davis’ parked police unit and continued, despite damage to the front windshield, Pollok said. A second, unidentified officer took Stuart and Sette into custody without incident about three blocks away, he said.

Both were to be held in lieu of $25,000 bail at Orange County Jail, police said.