Security camera footage appears to show thieves beating up a security guard and holding the store owner at gunpoint in an armed robbery at a downtown Los Angeles jewelry store.
The incident took place June 1 at the Hill Street Jewelry store while customers were shopping inside, according to ABC 7.
In a video obtained by the outlet, three men, covering their faces, walk into the jewelry store, appearing to quickly subdue the security guard by the door. Screams immediately erupt as one of the men appears to beat the guard, holding a gun to his head.
While the security guard is being held back, the other two alleged thieves head further into the store. They were allegedly attempting to find a safe, according to ABC 7. The store’s owner, Priouz Shirazi, can be seen fighting back against the alleged thieves as one of them points a gun at his face.
Later in the video, one of the alleged thieves appears to jump over the counter, grabbing bracelets and chains off the wall while the owner chases after them.
Shirazi told ABC7 the incident was like an out-of-body experience, and a lot of it was just a blur to him. (RELATED: ‘One Attacker Took A Watch, The Other Took A Fist To The Face’: Rep. Collins Staffer Robbed At Gunpoint).
“Imagine you have a gun in front of you,” Shirazi told ABC7. “When I see the video, I go into a state of shock. This is what I did?”
“He tried to handcuff me with a plastic zipper,” he told the outlet. “I didn’t allow him. I risked my life.”
The store owners estimate the alleged thieves got away with at least $500,000 worth of jewelry, the outlet reported. The men allegedly stole watches and valuable coins among other items, the outlet noted.
The incident only lasted a few minutes, and no shots were fired, according to ABC7.
“I was in shock,” Sarah Nourmand, one of the employees, told the outlet. “I didn’t know what I should do.”
The alleged thieves had fled before police arrived, the outlet reported. Police say the men left in a black Nissan Altima, the outlet noted. There have reportedly been no arrests.
