Two Thieves Caught On Camera In Corona Jewelry Store Robbery

CORONA (CBSLA.com) — It was a real Halloween nightmare for a husband and wife who own a small jewelry business located inside a Corona grocery story.

The two men are seen clearly on camera asking the owner of Franzia Jewels to see high-priced jewelry.

The men also took off their own necklaces and had them quality tested.

When Hugo Franzia's wife stepped away from the counter, one man reached over the counter and snatched a rack of gold engagement rings worth $25,000. One of them had a gun in his back pocket, according to a customer. All this happened just feet away from customers in the grocery story checkout line.

The couple work their family business, some days just making very little on jewelry repairs.

"I was shocked at the audacity of these people to grab anything they wanted," Franzia said.

Though some of the jewels are insured, Franzia's wife ran after the men, who were sloppy, dropping rings as they ran. They took taking off in a white van.

"To steal from people instead of working is not the American way," Franzia said.

Detectives are looking to see if a similar robbery in Chino is related.