Video shows thieves smash N.J. jewelry store windows with sledgehammers in brazen robbery

Shocking security video shows thieves using sledgehammers to smash the windows of a New Jersey family-run jewelry store before allegedly getting away with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of goods. 

The burglars got inside the Perth Amboy business within seconds during broad daylight Wednesday, and then came face-to-face-with the mother and daughter who own the shop, video shows. 

"Main concern was just to grab all the gold"

Stephanie Duran, the co-owner of SD Jewelry on Madison Avenue, said the criminals stole $1 million worth of jewelry as they quickly swiped up gold chains and put them into bags.

"They broke the glass. They came in, you know, they broke everything, and their main concern was just to grab all the gold that they could and leave, within two minutes," Perla Ceballos, a family member, said. 

Duran tried to stop them, but her mom held her back. She put up another fight outside, grabbing a suspect's hoodie and attempting to stop the getaway car. 

In Spanish, her mom said what's important now is that they're both alive.     

Ceballos said the owners do not have insurance to cover the loss of the jewelry. 

"You have to pay the monthly payment for it to cover $1 million in gold. It's too much, the expense for that," she said. "So she just preferred to take the hit because she can't afford it."

Police looking for 5 suspects

Perth Amboy Police believe five people were involved in the smash-and-grab and said officers pursued the vehicle, believed to be a BMW. 

"We are in downtown Perth Amboy. We're supposed to have all these cops around and supposed to have, you know, security around. But, unfortunately, they didn't come in time," Ceballos said. 

The business is located about 200 feet from a police substation, which the department said is used for the police athletic league and isn't always open. 

Perth Amboy Police Chief Larry Cattano told CBS News New York that officers were at the jewelry store within 25 seconds of getting a 911 call about the robbery. 

"Unfortunately that call came after the people had left," Cattano said. 

Police said they're still investigating and asking anyone with information to come forward.