Laguna Beach : 3 Sought in $50,000 Robbery of Store

Three robbers stole about $50,000 in jewelry and watches from a local art gallery Friday after holding a clerk at gunpoint and handcuffing him, police said.

The men entered Gallery One of Laguna on Coast Highway shortly before 11:30 a.m. and feigned interest in an expensive Oriental rug, police Sgt. Ray Lardie said.

As the clerk turned to show them the rug, one robber grabbed him from behind and drew a large, blue-steel handgun, Lardie said.

The clerk was handcuffed, then gagged and blindfolded with strips of duct tape and forced to lie down on the floor, Lardie said.

The robbers then cleaned out three display cases of jewelry and watches, which apparently were on consignment, Lardie said. As they left the gallery, the three passed a customer entering the gallery and told him, “The guy you’re looking for is in the back room.”

They then escaped in a maroon, four-door car driven by a woman, Lardie said.

The customer found the bound clerk and called police.

The robbers were described as in their late 20s to early 30s. One was described as 6 feet, 2 inches and about 200 pounds, with black hair and many tattoos on both arms, wearing a black leather jacket and black trousers and speaking with a heavy Italian accent, Lardie said.

Another was described as 5 feet, 6 inches and 180 pounds, with light brown hair and wearing a denim jacket. The third suspect was described as 5 feet, 8 inches and 140 pounds and wearing blue jeans.