By Laurel Duggan
Daily Caller News Foundation
Thieves wielding sledgehammers stole as much as $5 million in merchandise from a Beverly Hills, California, jewelry store Tuesday, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Beverly Hills police said approximately five robbers arrived in a stolen vehicle and smashed the windows of the upscale storefront before grabbing handfuls of jewelry, NBC Los Angeles reported. Police told the outlet the thieves were difficult to identify due to their obscured faces and the stolen car.
#BREAKING #BeverlyHills: Owner of Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills tells me the smash and grabbers got away with 3 to 5 million in stolen watches and necklaces pic.twitter.com/3W4zsaVXjX
— Robert Kovacik (@RobertNBCLA) March 22, 2022
The heist was caught on camera by a bystander across the street, who filmed the perpetrators in hoodies grabbing merchandise, according to a video shared by NBC Los Angeles. The video shows a man kicking and shoving the thieves outside of the store before they fled the scene.
“Get him!” one bystander shouted. Several cars drove past the scene, and others slowed down to watch the heist unfold.
In response to the robbery, police are adding “a camera trailer, extra security patrols, and extra special watch from officers” to South Beverly Drive, where the robbery took place, Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) Chief Mark Stainbrook said in an advisory notice on Tuesday.
Stainbrook acknowledged the community’s frustration with crime, and he urged local prosecutors to help the city and police department, according to the advisory.
Rising crime rates in Los Angeles have blead into wealthy areas, including Beverly Hills, which saw a 23% rise in violent crime in the last two years, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The BHDP did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
SUPPORT TRUTHFUL JOURNALISM. MAKE A DONATION TO THE NONPROFIT WND NEWS CENTER. THANK YOU!
