Surveillance video released on Monday shows the violent smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in La Verne that took place during business hours in broad daylight.
The robbery occurred around 12:15 p.m. on Saturday at Rodeo Jewelers on Foothill Boulevard, according to police.
The video shows four thieves crash through the front of the store in a white sedan, jump out of the car and start breaking display cases to grab items.
When an employee emerges from the back of the store, one of the thieves attacks him with a chair. The scuffle and robbery continue until two other store employees show up at which point the thieves run away, leaving the car behind.
La Verne Police say they had a getaway vehicle, a black sedan, waiting outside.
“It’s not the first time they’ve been hit like this,” local resident George Bush, who knows the store’s owner, told KTLA. “It’s just so blatant now… in the middle of the day. Someone’s got to put an end to it somehow, some way.”
Police say the employee who was hit with the chair suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
La Verne is located in Los Angeles County about 30 miles east of downtown L.A.
Anyone with information is urged to contact La Verne Police. Anonymous tips can be made through Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at lacrimestoppers.org.