NEWARK, CA - In a brazen daylight heist, more than a dozen robbers stormed Bhindi Jewelers, a well-known Indian jewelry store across from Newpark Mall, making off with a substantial amount of high-end jewelry on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred just before 1 p.m., left the local community in shock.
"Unbelievable. I was like 'no way is this happening here so close to home in Newark of all places,'" said attorney Quynh Chen, who witnessed the robbery from her adjacent office.
Newark Police Captain Jolie Macias explained that the robbers used large hand tools to break through two locked glass doors.
Witnesses reported that 12 to 15 masked and gloved individuals swarmed the store, grabbing armloads of gold and diamond jewelry. "They were running out with armloads of jewelry," described witness Ken Wright.
- Location: Bhindi Jewelers, 5944 Newpark Mall Road, Newark, CA.
- Time: Just before 1 p.m., Wednesday.
- Suspects: 12 to 15 masked and gloved men and women.
- Method: Used large hand tools to break glass doors, smashed display cases.
- Stolen Items: Expensive watches, gold rings, diamond necklaces.
- Escape: Robbers fled in four cars, dropping some jewelry in the process.
- Duration: Less than three minutes.
- Recovery: Two stolen vehicles found in Fremont.
The heist left the jewelry store in disarray, with broken glass and scattered jewelry. Despite the swift police response, the robbers managed to escape without immediate arrests. Newark detectives are actively investigating and following up on all leads. Anyone with information is urged to contact Newark police.
This daring robbery has stunned the Newark community and raised concerns about the security of local businesses, particularly those owned by the Indian-American community. While no injuries were reported, the psychological impact on the staff and the community is significant. Despite this incident, Newark police report a 10% decrease in robberies compared to last year.