Employee pepper-sprayed during smash-and-grab at Concord's Sunvalley mall, police say

Police in Concord said they are searching for several suspects following a smash-and-grab robbery at a mall Wednesday afternoon, in which an employee was pepper sprayed.

Shortly after 12:15 p.m. officers were called to the Sunvalley Shopping Center following reports of a possible shooting. Officers went to the Piercing Pagoda kiosk on the upper level of the mall.

According to a preliminary investigation, four suspects wearing hoodies and gloves used hammers to smash a display case and stole jewelry. During the smash-and-grab, a worker at the kiosk was pepper sprayed.

After taking the jewelry, police said the suspects fled through a nearby exit and into a dark-colored SUV. The suspects were last seen leaving the mall toward Sunvalley Boulevard.

Police said the kiosk employee was not injured. The investigation determined no shots were fired.

The value of the stolen jewelry was not immediately available. Police did not provide additional details about the incident.

The department said Wednesday that they are working to identify the suspects and the suspect vehicle.