Family Considers⁤ Closing Jewelry Store After ⁢Violent Smash-and-Grab Robbery⁣ in San José

A San josé⁣ jewelry store was‍ the target of⁤ a brazen smash-and-grab⁢ robbery last ​week, leaving the elderly owner traumatized and his family questioning ​the future of the business. The ⁤incident, captured on surveillance video,‍ unfolded in approximately 40 seconds.

According to the video, a group⁤ of‍ suspects drove an SUV into​ the storefront before entering the⁣ store.One robber forcibly grabbed an object from‍ the store owner’s hands,⁣ while ‍another shoved the man ⁣to the floor. A masked suspect was seen‌ pointing what appeared‍ to be a handgun ⁤at the owner’s son during the robbery. The group​ quickly gathered items, placing them into trash bags, before fleeing in at least four vehicles waiting ​in the parking lot, ​abandoning the SUV used to breach the store.

The San José Police Department⁢ has stated ‍they have no facts to release about the suspects at this time, and the⁢ case is being investigated by the robbery unit.

the store ‌owner’s niece, Linh,⁣ who declined to ‍provide her last name due ​to safety concerns, described⁣ her uncle’s condition‌ following the ordeal.”He was very scared. He just kept speaking in Vietnamese,” she ‌saeid, recounting how he repeatedly exclaimed, “Ối giời ơi, Ối giời ơi,” which⁢ translates to “Oh my god, oh my god.” ‍

Linh arrived at the store approximately 10 minutes after the⁢ robbery and found her uncle with bloodied feet from‌ walking on broken glass in sandals.She​ described him as being “in a ⁣fog,” speaking in short phrases and‍ appearing distant. A subsequent hospital‍ visit‌ revealed the⁢ elderly⁣ man had‌ suffered ​a stroke⁣ and spent​ the weekend‍ recuperating in ​the hospital before returning home by Wednesday.

“We just don’t know if ⁣there will be a business there anymore,” Linh said, expressing her family’s uncertainty.‍ She added, “We ⁤just⁤ only are asking for prayer and wishes for him to get better. ​We ⁣want everybody to know about the safety of our ⁢businesses right now.” Linh also shared her own emotional⁤ response, ‌stating she felt‌ “traumatized, angry,⁣ bad, ‌sad.”

The ​store owner, who⁢ arrived in ​california over 40 years ago from ‌South Vietnam, built a life and⁢ raised his family in the San José area.​ “He’s ‌a family man [who loves] his family,” ‌Linh ⁤emphasized.

The ‌robbery ​has sparked outrage and calls for⁢ increased public safety measures. Despite a ‍recent SmartAsset study ranking San José as one of the nation’s​ safest major cities,​ the incident drew ⁢strong condemnation.⁣ The Vietnamese community held a rally Tuesday⁣ evening outside the ‌jewelry store,⁣ advocating for better policing and increased⁣ funding for public safety. Demonstrators ‌carried ⁤signs reading “End Smash & Grab” and ⁣calling‍ for⁢ stricter penalties for ⁤criminals as approved by​ voters in November⁢ under Proposition 36.

San‍ José Mayor Matt Mahan acknowledged the community’s anger,stating‍ the surveillance ⁢video “made his blood boil.” ‌Public ⁢safety advocacy groups are urging state legislators and Governor Gavin ​Newsom to increase policing and install more license plate readers throughout the Bay Area. ⁣Edward Escobar, founder of the Coalition ​for Community Engagement, which supported recent⁢ recalls in Oakland and ⁢Alameda⁢ County, characterized‌ the robbery as ‍part of a ⁢pattern of organized⁢ crime, stating, “It was just San José’s turn on the list.”

The family is not seeking financial donations, but rather ‌prayers‌ and well wishes for ​the owner’s recovery.