Police Continue Hunt for Robbers, Stolen Jewelry

Police still were searching Thursday for a group of armed robbers who stole briefcases containing about $750,000 worth of jewelry from two salesmen in a parking lot outside Macy’s at South Coast Plaza.

In spite of their efforts, the odds are not in their favor.

A crime report from the California Department of Justice showed that less than 4% of the $18 million in jewelry stolen in Orange County last year was recovered--a total of $647,508.

“Recovery of jewelry is very difficult. It’s not marked, it doesn’t have serial numbers and it’s not easy to trace,” said Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Ron Wilkerson, who is not involved in the investigation of the South Coast robbery. “It will be resold no doubt to other unscrupulous people in that business . . . or pawned.” Police and mall officials refused to release details about the Wednesday evening heist, citing the ongoing investigation.

“We have to protect the people who were involved,” Costa Mesa Police Capt. Tom Lazar said Thursday.

The victims were approached at 6:20 p.m. Wednesday by at least four gun-toting men, three wearing red and white baseball-type uniforms, as the salesmen walked toward their car. The robbers ordered the salesmen to lie on the ground, then took their briefcases and drove away in two cars.

Lazar would not release the victims’ names or the name of the company that employed them, or say what kind of jewelry was inside the stolen briefcases.

Suzanne Biallot, director of marketing for South Coast Plaza, refused to comment.