Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Sledgehammer-wielding thieves swipe $200K in diamonds

Associated Press

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Two sledgehammer-wielding thieves smashed a jewelry store display case and swiped more than $200,000 in engagement rings and diamonds in a brazen midday mall heist, police said.

The duo stormed the Zales jewelry store at the Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton wearing black hats, heavy coats and gloves Monday morning and made off with the loot in less than a minute, Pleasanton police Detective Pat Walsh said Tuesday.

They threatened to shoot a mall security guard who chased them, but no firearm was seen, Walsh said. The men escaped in a maroon 1990s GMC Yukon.

A surveillance video captured the heist, but police did not immediately identify any suspects or make any arrests.

Investigators believe the same men are behind four similar robberies since mid-March, Walsh said.

A sledgehammer has been used in jewelry heists at stores in Davis, Stockton, Burlingame and San Francisco, he said.

"Based on their m.o. and the apparent pattern, it looks like they're very good at what they do," he said.

4 comments:

  1. A few thoughts:

    "Based on their m.o. and the apparent pattern, it looks like they're very good at what they do," he said. You think? Uh...$200,000 in a minute. Nuff said.

    Steve, will your next song of the day be Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer?

    On a similar note to this story, I've come across a whole lot of engagement rings and other fine jewelry. Visit my blo

    ReplyDelete
  2. A few thoughts:

    "Based on their m.o. and the apparent pattern, it looks like they're very good at what they do," he said. You think? Uh...$200,000 in a minute. Nuff said.

    Steve, will your next song of the day be Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer?

    On a similar note to this story, I've come across a whole lot of engagement rings and other fine jewelry. Visit my blog for purchasing details. AMAZING PRICES!!! Any similarities between my items and the items stolen are purely coincidental. You hear me? Coincidence. Nothing more.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have no clue why that posted twice (and the first time incomplete). Stupid internet.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Sledgehammer?" Nah, but it would be a good one. :-)

    Crimes like this are the reason I'm not a thief. I couldn't pull off anything that messed up. I have enough trouble carrying a camera phone at the mall. LOL

    ReplyDelete