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Jewelry Store Owner Fires at Robbers in Riverside Smash-and-Grab Incident February 23, 2024 (0 comments)
Riverside, CA--A jewelry store owner fired at two robbers during a smash-and-grab robbery, unsuccessfully preventing them from stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry.
[Vdeo screengrab from ABC 7]
The event, caught on the store's surveillance system on Saturday at Geneva Jewelry in Canyon Crest Towne Center, marks a concerning rise in retail crimes.
The footage, as highlighted in an ABC 7 report, showed the masked perpetrators wielding hammers and breaking into display cases immediately after slipping through a partially closed door. A customer, caught in the act, managed to flee. In response, the owner shot at the floor, startling one thief into falling while trying to escape with stolen items.
The store, owned by the same family since 1989, reported no injuries from the incident. Riverside Police are investigating but indicated the owner's defensive gunfire wasn't illegal, highlighting the importance of self-defense.
This robbery adds to the growing frustration among business owners and law enforcement over the increase in bold daytime thefts and the lack of significant legal repercussions for perpetrators.
Check out the ABC 7 report for more.