LA Police Hunt For 3 In Attempted Jewelry Heist

TUJUNGA (CBS) — Los Angeles police Sunday sought three men who abducted a jewelry store owner from his Tujunga home, but got spooked and aborted the holdup.

Police said the jeweler and his wife were tied up about 11:30 p.m. Friday after the three suspects broke into their home on Cabanas Avenue.

One suspect stayed with the wife, while the two others drove the jeweler in his Mercedes toward the jewelry store near Sherman Way and Bellaire Avenue, police said.

The suspects let the victim go in Van Nuys as a police helicopter hovered overhead about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. They got away with the Mercedes, the victim's cell phone, keys to the jewelry store and undisclosed valuables from the home, police said.

Los Angeles police Sgt. Rudy Alaniz of the Foothill Station said police located the Mercedes Saturday night. It was being dusted for fingerprints and examined for clues.

It was unclear if the victim's cell phone or the keys to the jewelry store were recovered.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)