Anaheim jewelry store owner scares off mob of thieves by firing warning shot

Jewelry store owner fires shot, scares off mob

A jewelry store owner in Anaheim scared off a mob of thieves and it was all caught on video.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - An Anaheim businessowner recently scared off a mob of thieves trying to break into his store by firing a warning shot at the crowd. The whole thing was caught on store security footage.

What we know:

The attempted robbery happened at Al-Amira Jewelry on July 17. The owner told FOX 11 that it was close to closing time, when five cars pulled up to the front of the store.

Security camera footage showed about 20 people piling out of the cars and mobbing the store's entrance. Some of them had sledgehammers and pickaxes and started smashing the door. 

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Seconds later, though, the group scattered, got back into their cars, and they all drove off. 

Video from inside the store showed the other angle. When the people inside saw the thieves, they ran behind the counter. Several came back out to the front, armed. That's when the owner fired one shot.

What they're saying:

The store's owner said he thinks the group was watching the store. He said the group moved in just several minutes after one of the last customers left the store. 

The owner said he heard a loud noise, and when he looked at the door, he saw "many people. I can't count it."

"Then I have to defend myself and my store and my employees. I take my gun, I shoot one  bullet, I scare him (the person at the door), he moved and the problem is done," the owner said.

The owner said that some of his family members were in the store when the group rushed the door.

"Every single one of them was covered in black, head to toe," said Mohammad Abuershaid, an attorney for the jewelry store.

"Everybody should be vigilant and careful," said Mohammed Kahn, a customer. "If they notice anything suspicious, they should speak up and report, so everyone is safe."

For 30 years, Mahmud Salem has owned Sahara Falafel, a popular restaurant near Al-Amira Jewelry. He says he has never seen anything like this here before.

"It was like a movie," said Salem. "It’s so sad. People are hungry and looking for bigger stuff [to steal]."

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Dig deeper:

The owner's lawyer told FOX 11 that the store has had one similar incident before, but the thieves couldn't get into the store then either.

About a month ago, another jewelry store across the street was also targeted by thieves. In that case, crooks drove a vehicle through the front of Besan Jewelry. The robbers then took jewelry estimated to be worth more than $3 million.