San Ramon, California — A brazen daylight robbery shocked California this week when more than two dozen masked thieves stormed a jewelry store and fled with nearly $1 million in valuables in less than two minutes.
The incident occurred at Heller Jewellers in San Ramon. Security footage shows around 25 individuals, dressed in black and armed with pickaxes and crowbars, smashing display cases and grabbing jewelry before making a swift exit.
“They essentially took over the business the moment they entered,” said Lt. Mike Pistello of the San Ramon Police Department. Despite recent security upgrades following a similar heist in 2023, the store’s reinforced doors could not prevent the theft. “In the end, the door locked behind the suspects once they entered,” Pistello noted, adding that the robbery lasted just one minute and twenty seconds.
Authorities believe the crime was meticulously planned, with the suspects arriving in six vehicles and parking close to the store. While eyewitnesses estimated as many as 30 participants, police have confirmed at least 23 suspects from the video footage.
A clip of the heist, shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by user @Bubblebathgirl, has gone viral, sparking widespread debate. The video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, with users expressing shock, frustration, and anger over rising crime in the state.
Investigators are analyzing the footage to track the suspects and vehicles involved. As of now, no arrests have been made.
