Shocking moment Oakland jewelry shop owner cowers in terror as gang of hammer

Release time：2024-05-21 15:00:51 Source：Global Gazetteer news portal

This is the shocking moment an Oakland jewelry store shop owner was forced to cower in terror as a gang of armed robbers ransacked her stock before her brave husband scared them away with a gun.

The eight hammer-wielding robbers smashed through Phuong Jewelry in Oakland's Chinatown on Wednesday, in what is being called the worst robbery the family-owned business has faced in over four decades.

Footage shared with ABC7 News of the break-in shows store owner and mother Diane, 69, desperately ducking for shelter as the robbers, clad in black, begin crashing through the small store.

In just seconds of entering, the masked group raised their weapons and started smashing down on the glass counters as Diane and another woman cowered behind the displays.

The armed suspects continued to ransack the stock as the terrified women screamed for help and bravely attempted to grab what they could from the top of the destroyed cabinets.

8 armed suspects ransacked the legacy Oakland Chinatown business Phuong Jewelry yesterday at around 12:30.

The family tells me, in less than one minute 85-90% of their inventory was taken.

Watch as owner Diane runs to the back & gets her 76-year old husband. He storms out… pic.twitter.com/JSmFDL960j

— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) April 12, 2024

The eight hammer-wielding robbers smashed through Phuong Jewelry in Oakland's Chinatown on Wednesday, as shop-owner Diane cowered behind the glass cabinet 

Diane and another woman crouch and run to exit the room as the robbers continue their ransacking of the store 

Her husband, 76, can be seen in footage emerging from a doorway at the end of the store which scares the robbers away

With bags in hand, the robbers can be seen quickly piling jewelry into them while continuing their rampage through the store.

Diane begins to wave her hands as she calls for urgent help, before the two women make the heart-stopping decision to make a run for the closest exit.

Crouching, they run down the long space behind the now-smashed counter but the robbers are too occupied with stuffing their sacks with gems and jewels to notice or stop them.

They continue beating their hammers into the glass and reaching into the cabinet with gloved hands while Diane peers around the corner of the doorway as she watches her family-store be torn to shreds.

Then out of nowhere the group begin to scatter and head towards the door, as a man in red emerges from the doorway with a firearm in hand.

Diane's heroic husband, 76, storms out through the store as the criminals make their dash out of the shop.

Speaking to the news site, the shaken-up store owner's son, Tony Trinh, said the shop had been robbed before, but never to this magnitude.

READ HERE: Shocking moment mob of gunmen attack security guard and rob truck full of tobacco and cigarettes in crime-ridden Oakland

'I thought, did my mother get shot? Did my father get shot? Did any of our staff of community members?' he said.

According to reports, around 85 to 95 per cent of the stock was nabbed in the heist, and Diane's American Dream came crashing down all in under one minute.

Tony said his mom was 'devastated' and his dad 'broken' following the ordeal.

But the horror incident hasn't dampened Diane's working spirit as her son revealed she would be back on the shop floor today.

We can't let our fear overcome! The only way to reduce crime is to have more traffic, events, people to get more resources. A strong Oakland Chinatown is strong for every community in Oakland,' said Tony. 

The local community and the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council have pulled together to set up a GoFundMe to help the family make up for the massive loss they incurred following the robbery.

Oakland Police informed the news site that they are currently investigating the case, and are urging anyone with information to come forward. 

Oakland is suffering a worrying surge in crime as the area has been more frequently plagued with robberies.

As a result of the relentless criminal activity, several popular restaurants have had to close their dining room doors as staff worry for their safety.

Earlier this week, DailyMail.com revealed that Taco Bell locations in Oakland were forced into becoming drive-thru only amid a concerning series of robberies.

Four of five locations across the Bay Area city now display large signs from their windows that read: 'DINING ROOM CLOSED'.

Sources said that the owner of one local franchise has even threatened to close outright if the security situation doesn't improve. 

In late January a nearby Denny's fast food diner closed due to the violence and in February it was announced that Oakland's only In-N-Out Burger restaurant is set to shut after 18 years, with the business stating that customers and staff are now 'unsafe'. 

Amid the rising levels of violence in Oakland, popular restaurants have been forced to close their dining rooms as customers an staff are now 'unsafe'

An Oakland police source called Taco Bell's recent struggles a reflection of the 'very sorry state our city is in.'

'When it comes to robberies, in particular, this is the worst we've seen it here in many, many years,' the source told DailyMail.com.

'It's sad that it's gotten to the point that clientele of Taco Bell can't even enjoy dining inside because of the crime.

'We're in the midst of a doom loop for businesses in Oakland as crime continues to spiral,' the source continued.

'There are not enough cops, and there's no real support for law enforcement in Oakland. The elected officials, in general, don't have an interest in public safety.

'They're more sympathetic to criminals than to the businesses or residents of Oakland.

Data from Oakland's police force reveal that robberies increased by a massive 38% from 2022 to 2023.

• abc7news.com/exc...

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