Botched Jewelry Store Robbery Ends With Gunshots In Thousand Oaks

THOUSAND OAKS (CBSLA.com) — Several robbers are on the run after trying to hold up a jewelry store in Thousand Oaks and prompting a store employee to open fire Tuesday.

The botched robbery happened at Albert's Jewelry Designs around 1 p.m., according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

The owner of a nearby nail salon said he heard about five gunshots then saw two men run out and a third get hit, possibly in the leg. "He went down. He went to his knees, and he came back up and then struggled trying to get in. It was very, very scary," Richard Ma said.

Investigators will not say how many men were involved in the robbery attempt but did say a store employee shot one.

Marina Kennard works at the hair salon next door. She said it was the store owner who opened fire. She said she doesn't blame him. "Hopefully, people understand that you can't get away with things like this."

Detectives said the suspects failed to steal anything and drove off in a dark-colored car, possibly a Jaguar with paper plates.

Investigators hope the store's many security cameras will help them identify the thieves.

Meantime, Ma said it will be tough to get what he saw out of his head. "Ten seconds , kind of hard to react, you just watch it like a movie."