- A jewelry store owner in Anaheim, California thwarted an armed robbery attempt by firing a warning shot at a mob of masked thieves, causing them to flee. The incident occurred just before closing time at Al-Amira Jewelry on July 17.
- Video showed over a dozen assailants exiting multiple vehicles, some armed with pickaxes and sledgehammers. One attacker swung a pickaxe at the bulletproof door before the owner fired deliberately at reinforced glass to scare the group away.
- The owner emphasized he had seconds to protect his store, employees and family inside. His intent was to frighten, not harm, the intruders.
- Anaheim police are pursuing leads but had made no arrests by July 22. Authorities suspect links to other high-profile thefts.
- Analysts cite California’s lenient theft policies (like Proposition 47) as emboldening criminals. The incident underscores armed civilians as a last line of defense amid rising organized retail crime and delayed law enforcement response.
A jewelry store owner in Anaheim, California, successfully deterred an armed robbery attempt last week by firing a warning shot at a mob of would-be thieves, sending them fleeing in panic.
The dramatic incident, captured on surveillance footage, unfolded just before closing time at Al-Amira Jewelry on July 17, underscoring the escalating boldness of organized theft rings across the state. Surveillance video shows more than a dozen masked individuals exiting at least five vehicles and converging on the store's entrance, some armed with pickaxes and sledgehammers.
One assailant repeatedly swung a pickaxe at the bulletproof front door before the owner, who chose not to be publicly identified, discharged his firearm inside the store – deliberately aiming at the reinforced glass. The shot sent the group scrambling back to their cars, leaving behind an abandoned robbery attempt.
The owner later explained his split-second decision, noting that he had "15 seconds … to protect myself and my store." He emphasized that his intent was not to harm, but to scare off the intruders. Several employees and family members were inside at the time, adding urgency to his actions.
The new Wild West: Armed civilians step up as last defense against thieves
Anaheim police confirmed they are pursuing leads, including at least one license plate from the suspects' vehicles – though no arrests had been made by Tuesday, July 22. Authorities suspect the same group might be linked to recent high-profile thefts, including an earlier smash-and-grab at The RealReal luxury resale store in Santa Monica.
About a month ago, robbers also targeted Besan Jewelry located just right across Al-Amira. Thieves drove a vehicle through the front of the store, taking an estimated loot of worth more than $3 million. It remains unknown if the same criminals behind the Besan robbery were responsible for the botched Al-Amira theft.
Crime analysts point to California's lenient policies – including reduced penalties for theft under Proposition 47 – as a factor emboldening organized retail criminals. Yet this incident also highlights how armed civilians continue to act as the last line of defense when law enforcement response is delayed. (Related: California DA: SHOPLIFTING in the Golden State is out of control, soft-on-crime policies to blame.)
Longtime local business owners expressed disbelief at the brazenness of the attack. "It was like a movie," said Mahmud Salem, owner of nearby restaurant Sahara Falafel. "It's so sad. People are hungry and looking for bigger stuff [to steal]."
As retailers statewide reinforce security measures, this confrontation serves as a sobering reminder of the risks small businesses face – and the decisive role of self-defense in an era of dwindling deterrence.
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Watch this footage of the January 2023 shooting at the El Ranchito Taqueria in Houston, where an armed citizen stopped a masked robber.
This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.
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