A group of 20 people swarmed a Sunnyvale jewelry store Wednesday afternoon, officials said, smashing display cases and grabbing valuables before leading police on multiple pursuits as they fled the scene.
Just before 1:30 p.m., Sunnyvale officers arrived at PNG Jewelers at 791 E. El Camino Real to respond to a reported burglary in progress, according to a press release sent Thursday from the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety. There, around 20 people had broken glass cases with hammers and other tools and fled with jewelry.
The suspects had left the scene in multiple vehicles before officers arrived, authorities said. Officers were able to locate two of the fleeing vehicles; after unsuccessfully attempting vehicle stops, they pursued the cars. The vehicles left Sunnyvale and drove to the Peninsula.
Police lost sight of the first vehicle and discontinued that chase. Suspects discarded some stolen jewelry from the second fleeing vehicle while still moving, authorities said. Officers also discontinued the second chase after losing sight of the car.
The second vehicle was later located by another police agency. The five suspects abandoned the car on Highway 101 near Whipple Avenue, fleeing on foot across the freeway and into an industrial area. Police took four of the fleeing suspects into custody near Industrial Road and Brittan Avenue in San Carlos, and the fifth suspect was located nearby by a police dog.
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Police said that some of the stolen jewelry has been recovered, but the total value of the stolen jewelry was unknown. No one was injured during the robbery, authorities added.
The five arrested suspects were booked into Santa Clara County Jail on charges of armed robbery, burglary, resisting arrest, felony vehicle evasion, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools, vandalism and outstanding warrants, police said.
The incident remains under investigation, authorities added, including exploring whether this incident is related to another jewelry store robbery in Sunnyvale in May.
