A Don Roberto’s Jewelers store located at 638 W. La Palma Ave., in Anaheim, was targeted in a smash-and-grab robbery on Tuesday afternoon, July 22. This was the second time that store has been targeted in just over a week, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
Four masked robbers attacked the store at around 3:15 p.m. They were armed with hammers so they could smash the glass jewelry cases and steal the jewelry. A customer was pushed aside during the attack by one of the suspects, resulgint in minor injuries.
The robbery crew fled in a green Dodge Charger. The police are not sure how much merchandise they made off with.
The same store was also robbed on Tuesday, July 15, at around the same time of day. That robbery invovled eight suspects who sped off in two vehicles.
The Anaheim Police were able to locate and stop one of the suspects’ cars. Four juveniles and one adult ran from that vehicle into a Buena Park neighborhood and they were arrested as they were hiding in a residential backyard.
The poor store had not even had a chance to fix the display broken in that earlier robbery, according to the police.
The police are not certain that the two robberies are connected.
Robbers have recently been targeting several jewelry stores not only in Anaheim but all over Southern California.
The Al-Amira Jewelry store was targeted by a large robbery crew on July 17, as we reported, but the owner stopped them by firing a gunshot.
Other recent So. California jewelry store robbers include:
- A robbery crew, about a month ago, crashed a vehicle through the front door of Besan Jewelry, another jewelry store in Anaheim located across the street from Al-Amira. In that case the robbers stole jewelry estimated to be worth more than $3 million. Two people were arrested shortly after, but police believe as many as 12 suspects were involved.
- In June, burglars took off with $1.5 million in gold and diamonds after using power tools to cut through the roof and safes of Meza’s Jewelry, a family-owned jewelry store in El Monte.
- Another group of burglars used a blowtorch to slice through a wall at the Encino Jewelry Mart, stealing a small fortune in jewelry from five different jewelers.
- A month earlier, in May, two separate robbery gangs hit stores in Glendale and Simi Valley, breaking in through the roofs and ransacking the businesses.
Here’s a summary of the criminal penalties robbers of Southern California jewelry stores may face:
Criminal Penalties for Jewelry Store Robbery in Southern California
- Robbery is a felony under California Penal Code § 211.
- First-degree robbery (e.g., involving inhabited buildings or vehicles):
- 3, 6, or 9 years in state prison.
- Second-degree robbery (all other cases):
- 2, 3, or 5 years in state prison.
Sentence Enhancements may apply if:
- A firearm is used: +10 to 20 years.
- Victim suffers serious injury: +3 to 6 years.
- Multiple robbers are involved: additional prison time.
Other Consequences:
- Permanent felony record.
- Difficulty finding jobs, housing, or obtaining licenses.
- Possible federal charges if interstate commerce or high-value goods are involved.