Police: Suspects In LA Jewelry Store Robbery Held Security Guard At Gunpoint
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Police asked the public for help on Thursday in finding three men suspected of robbing a Koreatown jewelry store.
On Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at 11 a.m., three black males entered the C.C. Diamonds jewelry store located in the 3200 block of Wilshire Boulevard, according to the LAPD.
One of the suspects held the security guard at gun point while the other two smashed the glass jewelry cases with a hammer, police said.
KNX 1070's Claudia Peschiutta reports the guard will likely spend the rest of his life recovering from injuries suffered during the heist.
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The suspects proceeded to use hammers to smash several store display cases and remove thousands of dollars worth of jewelry.
As the suspects made their exit out the back door, they met the parking lot security guard, a male Korean, who they bludgeoned in an attempt to escape.
After unsuccessfully attempting to seize a vehicle driven by a Korean woman, the suspects then took a Korean man's 2001 white GMC Savana van with the California plate numbers 6T97736.
Eyewitnesses said a green Toyota van was also seen leaving the scene driven by the third suspect.
The stolen green van was reported earlier to police and was found abandoned about one mile away from the jewelry store.
The parking lot security guard was initially listed in critical condition and is now in stable condition.
The suspects are described as black males between 20 and 25 years old, 5'8 to 6' tall, weighing between 180 to 200 pounds.
The first suspect was seen wearing dark pants, a white long sleeve hooded shirt and blue jeans. Another suspect was seen wearing a grey hoodie sweatshirt.
A third suspects was spotted wearing a dark baseball hat, dark jacket, white shirt and dark pants.
If anyone has any additional information regarding this crime or the involved individuals please contact Olympic Robbery Detectives at (213) 382-9103. Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters "LAPD".
Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.
