Two smash-and-grab robberies have occurred in less than a week at jewelry stores at San Bruno's Tanforan Mall, police said.
A group of five men wiped out a jewelry store at the Tanforan Mall in San Bruno on Monday evening, police. The incident continues a trend in smash-and-grab robberies across the San Francisco Bay Area.
The five suspects, described as males in their teens to early 20s, entered the store, smashed several glass display cases with various tools, stole merchandise and fled the scene, the San Bruno Police Department said in aA similar smash-and-grab robbery occurred at another jewelry store in the mall on Jan. 21, police. In the prior incident, one of the suspects pulled out a crowbar and the store owner yelled at him to stop, police said.
The suspect ignored the request, smashing a glass display case with the crowbar before turning toward the store owner and raising the tool as if to hit him, police said. The store owner drew a firearm and pointed it toward the male suspect who fled the store and ran toward the food court, according to the police report.
Another male suspect pulled out a gun and pointed it at the owner who raised his own firearm, police said. The male suspect with the gun and others in the group ran away toward the JC Penny department store.