Video: El Monte jewelry store owners fight back against attempted robber
Dramatic video shows the moments that an attempted robber was fought off by the owners of an El Monte jewelry store on Saturday.
The incident happened at Meza's Jewelry, located at Main Street and El Monte Avenue, at around 2:30 p.m., according to the family owned and operated store.
In the jarring video, three people can be seen warding off a single suspect who is desperately trying to exit the store while being hit with a pole-like object. The suspect is able to slip out of his t-shirt and run down the street, followed for a short distance by one of the employees.
They say that upon entering the store, he pepper-sprayed everyone on the floor and began smashing display cases with a hammer. Security footage from a jeweler across the street shows the suspect approaching the store, holding a large item in his hands.
Family members from inside the store say that he was going to use the box to carry out the stolen goods. While he wasn't able to steal anything from the family, the entire ordeal has brought them a world of worry.
"When they tried to chase him outside, he had a gun and like, 'Go back because I'm gonna shoot you guys, I'm gonna kill all of you guys,'" said one of the store's owners, afraid to reveal the identities of her family members due to the violence of the incident. "He said that to my dad and my brother."
Though insurance should take care of the damages, the lingering worry is tough to bear for the family.
"You never know if they're gonna come back or do anything against us, you know?"
The store remained littered in broken glass, scattered jewelry and even blood stains left behind by the struggle late Saturday.
Though the suspect hasn't yet been identified, police say that they have a solid lead for the investigation.
