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Owner Of Jewelry Store At Westfield Topanga Hit In Smash-And-Grab Says He Was Pepper Sprayed

CANOGA PARK (CBSLA.com) — Authorities say they are searching for two men in connection with a smash-and-grab robbery in Woodland Hills.

The Los Angeles Police Department, Media Relations division says the incident happened about 2:50 p.m. Monday at Edward George Jewelers at the Westfield Topanga mall.

The store's owner George Dekermanji says one of the suspects took out a sledgehammer before jumping onto a counter and waving his bottle of pepper spray in the air.

"He appeared to want to attack me with either a sledgehammer or the pepper spray if I posed a threat to him," Dekermanji said.

Dekermanji says he was pepper sprayed all over his body sending him into a panic.

"I proceeded to throw my hands up in the air and let him take whatever he wanted to," he said.

He says the men smashed the displays with a sledgehammer and began pulling out watches and engagement rings.

CBS Los Angeles was told the suspects' pocketed about $50,000 in jewelry before running off.

The LAPD says no one was injured and no arrests have been made.

Dekermanji says the incident marks the second time the store has been robbed in the past eight months.

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