Newport Beach : Thieves Smash Cases at Mall Jewelry Store
Thieves brandishing a gun and sledgehammer raided a Newport Center Fashion Island jewelry store Monday afternoon and got away with a substantial amount of merchandise, police said.
Police Lt. Tim Newman said the robbery occurred at 12:30 p.m. at the Carlson O’Brien Fine Jewelry store at 203 Fashion Island. He said three to five young men dressed in sweat suits entered and began smashing the display cases. Two customers fled during the robbery. The three employees in the store at the time were not harmed, police said.
The men were seen leaving in a red compact car, later found abandoned at a nearby gardening store, Newman said.
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