US media today released a video showing the moment a robbery crew drove a black Nissan Rogue into the Classic Jewelers store on East Santa Ana Canyon Road in Anaheim, Orange County, California, on 23/1.
As the vehicle crashed inside, store owner Ramzy Tabello initially thought the driver had a medical emergency or mistook the accelerator for the brake. Only seconds later did he realize the store was being robbed.
Eight masked robbers then exited the vehicle, using hammers, crowbars, and trash cans to smash all display cases "in under a minute", stealing approximately one million USD worth of jewelry.
"When they came in, I yelled that I had a gun. They immediately snatched the gun from the table. At that moment, I thought I was going to be shot. That was the scariest moment of my life", Tabello recounted.
The robbers abandoned the Nissan Rogue at the scene and fled in two Dodge Chargers. A store employee ran outside, using a phone to record the license plates.
Anaheim police later spotted a vehicle matching the description on Highway 91. Near the Orangethorpe Avenue intersection, this vehicle collided with at least two other vehicles. Police apprehended the fleeing driver and subsequently arrested the remaining three suspects in the surrounding area.
Minutes later, a helicopter located the second getaway vehicle near the Harbor and Brea Boulevard intersection in Fullerton. This vehicle also crashed into at least two other vehicles. Police arrested two suspects and recovered some jewelry from the car.
Police later arrested the two remaining suspects, who had hidden in a residence. All eight suspects are under 24 years old, with one being under 18.
Duc Trung (According to OC Register, FOX News, ABC News)
