Store Robbed of $500,000 in Jewelry

Three robbers brandishing handguns took $500,000 worth of jewelry from a Sherman Oaks department store Friday night, stuffing necklaces, bracelets, pins and rings in bags as horrified customers and clerks looked on, police said Saturday.

It was the second robbery of expensive jewelry from a department store at the Sherman Oaks Fashion Square in recent months, Los Angeles police said.

No shots were fired and no one was injured during the robbery of Bullock’s fine jewelry department about 8:20 p.m.

Bullock’s Robbed

Los Angeles Police Sgt. Don Holmes said the three men walked into Bullock’s at 14000 Riverside Drive and forced one of the store clerks to open the locked jewelry case.

Then, as other clerks and customers watched, one of the gunmen jumped over the display counter and grabbed handfuls of assorted jewelry, stashing them in bags, Holmes said.

“It’s kind of unusual that they could get that much” so quickly, said Sgt. Ted Hanson.

The gunmen, all said to be in their late 20s or early 30s, fled the mall in a tan station wagon and were last seen driving north on Ranchito Avenue two blocks away, Holmes said.

Bullock’s executives declined to comment on the robbery. The displays were repaired and stocked by Saturday afternoon.

During a robbery at the mall in July, about $200,000 worth of jewelry was taken from the Broadway department store at the Sherman Oaks Fashion Square, officials said.

Broadway store officials refused to comment on that robbery.