Mission Viejo Jewelry Store Robbed, Owner Beaten

MISSION VIEJO (CBS) — A south Orange County jewelry store has been robbed and its owner beaten in the process.

Orange County Sheriff's officials say that two men robbed Rita's Jewelry located at 24451 Alicia Parkway in Mission Viejo around 1 p.m. Tuesday. A spokesman said one of the robbers pistol-whipped the store owner, sending him to a hospital with serious head injuries. They also threw a clerk to the floor, but she escaped serious injury. The beating was caught on surveillance video.

Authorities say they made off with more than $100,000 in jewelry before fleeing in a cream-colored Lincoln Town Car with dealer plates.

Sheriff's Officials say one suspect is a black man about 6 feet 3 inches or taller, who was wearing a black jacket and black hat. The other suspect was also black and shorter.

Authorities believe the suspects are the same men who robbed a jewelry store in Laguna Niguel last month. Officials say the robbers got away with a watch worth about $27,000 and a diamond ring worth about $22,000.

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