“Jewelers put on alert after series of smash-and-grab robberies”

Jewelers put on alert after series of smash-and-grab robberies

Posted: 04 Dec 2010 09:02 AM PST

December 4, 2010 | 8:54 am

Fearing that more jewelry stores may be targeted by smash-and-grab robberies, Glendale police have begun alerting business owners on how to prepare and immediately react.

The alert comes after last month's robbery of the Glendale Jewelry Mart on Brand Boulevard in which a group of thieves bombarded the store in broad daylight, smashed several glass displays with hammers, stole an undisclosed amount of merchandise and fled in separate vehicles.

Glendale detectives began investigating similar jewelry store robberies in Los Angeles and Orange counties and found that 47 smash-and-grab robberies have occurred since January, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

While looking into the robberies, detectives noticed a similar pattern. In most cases, two to eight men in their late teens to mid-20s entered the jewelry stores during normal business hours, smashed the cases with hammers or other tools and stole jewelry, police said.