The mob hit an SUV through the front door of Kim Hung jewellery in San Jose, arrived in multiple cars, smashed and robbed in less than a minute.
The masked robber rushed into the broken store, wielding a hammer, at least one gun and garbage bag to drag the merchandise away, according to police.
The craziest daylight robbery arrested in the video prompted anger from lawmakers, public safety advocates and Vietnamese community leaders who called for increased law enforcement resources to combat organized crime rings. It also forces Vietnamese families to run jewelry stories to consider giving up the business.
“This happens often, and it doesn’t have to happen,” said Tuan NGO, organizer of a public safety advocacy group, and Asians are united.
Moments before the robbery Friday, the 88-year-old store owner and his adult son were preparing to close the family business on Aborn Road, a shopping mall in the undescribed zone. According to relatives, they store most of their jewelry for safety after 2 p.m. At that time, a gray SUV retreated to the parking space outside, jumped to the side of the road, and hit the front door.
-
Shared by
The grey Ford Explorer collapsed the metal security door and pushed a long display case back a few feet. In the surveillance video inside the store, the father and son are seen colliding loudly. The father seemed shocked, while the son fled from rough metal and broken glass. Relatives refused to identify their father and son because they were afraid of being retaliated by robbers.
After a brief pause, the SUV evacuated and the mob rushed into the open Mo, who was once the front door. The group wore knitted hats, gloves, masks and hooded sweaters.
“Everyone got F-fall!” One of the suspects shouted, according to the surveillance video.
The son fell to the ground, the father started crying, and the masked thief smashed the display box with a hammer. A hooded robber grabbed an object from the shop owner’s hand and the other pushed the old man to the floor.
Once, a masked suspect appeared to point a pistol at his son. The group competes around the store, collecting items and putting them in garbage bags. According to the surveillance video shared with the Times, the entire robbery unfolded in about 40 seconds.
The group ran outside and jumped into at least four cars waiting in the parking lot. They stayed behind the SUV and used to smash into the store.
The San Jose Police Department said the agency had no information about the suspect and the case was under investigation by the robbery department.
Linh, the store owner’s niece, said her uncle was afraid, traumatized and uncertain whether he wanted to keep the family business open. Linh refuses to give her a last name because she is worried about her safety.
“We just don’t know if there will be business there,” she said. She said she felt “traumatized, angry, bad, sad.”
Lynn said her uncle arrived in California from southern Vietnam 40 years ago and raised his family in and around San Jose.
“He is a family member [who loves] His family. ” Lynn said.
About 10 minutes after the robbery, she arrived at the store.
“He’s scared. He’s just talking to Vietnamese all the time.” “igiờiơi, ốigiời. Oh my god, oh my god.”
She noticed her uncle’s feet bleed from the broken glass of the sandals, and he stared into the distance, as if in the mist. She said his voice was unbalanced and he wouldn’t say a few words at a time. After visiting the hospital, relatives learned that the elderly man had a stroke. He spent a weekend in the hospital and on Wednesday, the family said he was recuperating at home.
Although recent research comes from Fintech company SmartAsset The robbery, considered one of the safest major cities in the United States, has robbed angry condemnation and called for increased law enforcement.
Vietnamese communities gathered outside the jewelry store Tuesday night, calling for better policing and more public safety funds. They held signs of “end of crushing and robbery” and demanded that the state impose more severe penalties Criminals approved by voters in November under Proposition 36.
Mayor Matt Mahan said San José was angry at the crime situation and admitted that the surveillance video of the explosive robbery “had his blood boiled.”
Public safety advocacy groups have now seized state lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom to increase policing and install more license plate readers in and around the Bay Area. The Community Engagement Alliance supports the 2024 recall of the Mayor of Oakland and the District Attorney for Alameda County, noting that San José-Smash-Grab is another example of criminal competition.
“These are organized crime rings that operate in California. This is just a list of San Jose,” said Edward Escobar, founder of the Community Engagement Alliance.
Linh, the store owner’s niece, said her family did not ask for donations to her uncle’s store or his recovery.
“We’re just asking for prayers and hoping he’s better,” she said. “We want everyone to know the safety of our business now.”
