Watch as a Jewelry Store Employee Opens Fire on 'Smash and Grab' Thieves

An employee of a Manhattan Beach, Calif., jewelry store decided enough was enough and opened fire on a group of “smash and grab” thieves who hit the store in broad daylight.

The thieves lit out like their rear ends were on fire, climbing all over each other to get out of the door. No one was injured, and later, one of the thieves was caught. The Gardena Police Department, in cooperation with officers from Manhattan Beach, arrested one of the men involved in the “smash and grab” incident on Monday.

ABC 7:

The incident happened just after 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Prestige Jewelers on N Sepulveda Boulevard.

The video shows several employees helping a couple when five suspects suddenly bum-rush the store. In another view, a surveillance camera captured what appears to be a sixth person – a man – holding the door open for the group.

The robbers immediately start smashing glass cases with hammers, snatching merchandise and placing them in black plastic bins.

Within seconds, the employee fires at least one round toward the suspects, who immediately run out of the store when they heard gunshots. The suspects took off in several cars waiting outside, police say.

One attempt to hit back at the brazenness of the thieves is not going to do much to slow the pace of these “smash and grab” robberies.

But what would happen if every time the thugs tried a similar robbery, store owners and clerks made it hazardous to the thieves’ health? How long would it be before the thieves began to think twice about entering a store with the intent to rob it?

It ain’t rocket science. Right now, there is close to zero cost to the thieves for running off with hundreds of thousands of dollars of jewelry or high-end retail goods. The police catch a thief every once and a while, but even then, the crook is processed through a system now designed to make sure he does little or no time for his crime.

Surprisingly, the police praised the store employee.

The Express:

Police chief Rachel Johnson praised the employee for their quick thinking, saying: “We commend the swift and decisive action taken by our police force today.

“Their commitment to public safety and their rapid response is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our police force.

“We will continue to work diligently to ensure that justice is served.”

If only it were true.