2 Suspects Apprehended After Clumsy Jewelry Store Heist

Three men wielding small sledgehammers took about $312,500 in merchandise from a Lakewood Center Mall jewelry store, but two suspects were arrested after the heist went awry, Sheriff’s deputies said.

Witnesses told deputies that the three suspects entered Zales Jewelers around 10 a.m. Friday and began smashing the display cases with the hammers.

John Anselmo, a mall employee, told deputies he was vacuuming near the jewelry store when he heard a loud crash. Anselmo said he turned and asked one of the suspects, “What are you doing?”

Anselmo said the man came at him with a hammer, so he ran and shouted for help. Witnesses said each of the suspects then grabbed a tray of women’s rings and, with many rings falling as they ran, dashed out of the mall to a waiting car.

When the suspects reached the car, where a fourth man waited, witnesses said, the suspects threw the trays into the back seat. But witnesses said that when the suspects saw a mall security guard following them, they fled through the parking lot without the car and most of the jewelry.

Two of the four suspects were apprehended by deputies. Arrested and held on suspicion of armed robbery were Timothy Davison, 31, and Branden McClure, 19. No address was listed for either. Bail for each has been set at $6,000, deputies said.

Deputies said the car the suspects used had previously been reported stolen by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Anselmo told deputies that he picked up as much of the fallen jewelry as he could. However, deputies said, $15,000 in jewelry is still missing.