Takeover Jewelry Robbery Caught on Tape

Los Angeles:  Los Angeles Police detectives are asking for the public’s help to identify three robbery suspects who took over a jewelry store in the mid-afternoon on Friday, February 20, 2009.  The surveillance footage captured the attack on the store’s owner and the entire robbery on tape.

At about 12:20 p.m., two male Hispanics posing as customers entered Bijan Jewelry store located in the 13700 block of Victory Boulevard in Van Nuys.  The takeover began when suspect-1 leaped over the counter, attacked the owner of the store and pointed a handgun at her.  The suspect then dragged her to the rear of the store and tied her up. At the same time, suspect-2 removed jewelry from multiple display the cases.  A third suspect who was standing outside the store alerted suspect-2 of his presence, then walked out of sight of the video camera.  Minutes later, a customer entered the front door and startled the two suspects inside.  Both suspects ran out the back door of the store and remain at large.

The suspects are described as follows:

1.Suspect-1 was a 30-40 year-old male Hispanic with black hair, a stocky build and a goatee.  He wore a black suit with a white dress shirt, black shoes and sunglasses and was armed with an unknown caliber handgun.

2.Suspect-2 was a 30-40 year-old male Hispanic with black hair and a mustache.  He wore a dark blue or green long sleeve sweater over a white shirt with a front zipper, blue jean pants, black shoes and sunglasses .

3.Suspect-3 was a 25-30 year-old male Hispanic with black hair.  He wore a blue shirt with a white design on the right shoulder, dark colored jeans and white tennis shoes.  He was also wearing sunglasses, a baseball hat and a silver necklace.  

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the Van Nuys Detectives Robbery Unit at 818-374-0040, or 818-374-0079.  During off-hours calls may be directed to our 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247).  Callers may also text "CRIMES" with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web Tips.  When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with "LAPD."  Tipsters may remain anonymous.

The surveillance video can be viewed at www.lapdtv.org