A group of masked robbers stormed a jewellery store in Madera, California, on Thursday evening, only to flee seconds later when the store owner opened fire, dramatic surveillance footage shows.
The robbery took place shortly after 7 pm at Olivia’s Fine Jewellery on North Country Club Drive, moments after customers had left the shop. Around five suspects dressed in black, their faces fully covered, burst through the front door and headed straight for the display cases. Some appeared to be carrying tools believed to be used for smashing protective glass, while one remained near the entrance as a lookout.
An employee behind the counter sprinted for cover as the group vaulted over counters and began scooping up high-value items.
What the thieves did not expect, however, was the store owner emerging from a back room armed with a handgun.
Within seconds, he fired three to five shots toward the robbers, sending them scrambling in panic. Surveillance video shows the suspects tripping over one another as they rushed out the door and onto the sidewalk. The owner then moved to the entrance and fired additional warning shots as the group fled into the night.
Police later confirmed that no one was struck by the gunfire. Despite the chaotic retreat, the suspects managed to escape with an estimated $170,000 worth of jewellery, officials said.
ROBBERY WAS METICULOUS AND PLANNED: POLICE
Sergeant Blake Short of the Madera Police Department described the incident as deeply distressing for the family-run business.
“It’s shocking to the conscience. It’s scary to the family because it is a mom-and-pop store, it’s your own employees, your own business, your livelihood,” Short told KFSN. “I believe the store owner did what he felt was necessary at the time. We don’t always recommend that in this field.”
Investigators have since recovered the suspects’ getaway vehicle, which was found abandoned outside city limits. Short said early findings suggest the group had been circling the area prior to the break-in, indicating the heist was “meticulous and planned.”
Madera police say the investigation is ongoing, and officers are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Authorities have not released descriptions of the suspects due to the masks and clothing that concealed their identities.
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