A jewelry store in Rancho Bernardo became the scene of a brazen robbery yesterday afternoon. At approximately 4:45 PM, a heavyset man entered the store wielding a hammer, causing chaos as he smashed display cases and made off with an unknown quantity of jewelry, as confirmed by a San Diego Police Department Watch Commander's Log.
The scenario, as reported, unfolded rapidly: the suspect, described only by his build and a height between 5'10" and 6', was wearing a disguise consisting of a black hat, blue/green camouflage face mask, gloves, a black long sleeve shirt, and black pants. After the clerk raised the alarm, the store owner emerged from the back office with his firearm and discharged a single round into the ceiling. This action seemed to deter a further escalation, prompting the suspect to flee the premises northbound. The owner's pursuit was futile; the perpetrator had vanished.
Nobody suffered injury during the incident, but the trauma inflicted upon the staff and the emotional toll such an event takes on the community is harder to quantify. According to the SDPD, the robbery and Northeastern's Detective Sergeant were notified and responded to the store to investigate the occurrence and begin seeking justice for the crime committed.
As the police piece together the event and search for the suspect, they've called the public for assistance. Anyone with information about the robbery is encouraged to contact the handling command at the San Diego Police or to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. Meanwhile, the financial loss to the store remains undetermined as detectives work to account for the stolen items.
