SAN JOSE, Calif. — An elderly jewelry shop owner was shoved to the floor and suffered cuts after a group of masked robbers used an SUV to crash into a San Jose storefront and then smashed display cases to seize merchandise, police said.
San Jose police said the incident occurred about 2 p.m. Friday at Kim Hung Jewelry. Surveillance video released by investigators showed the rear of an SUV burst through the shop’s glass windows and door as the owner stood behind a glass display case. About 16 mostly black-clad people then rushed into the store, authorities said.
Police said “multiple suspects entered the store with at least one suspect armed with a firearm.” Video shows one person using a clawlike hammer to smash a display case directly in front of the owner while another member of the group pushed the man down as he tried to stop them from taking merchandise. Within seconds, display cases and store shelving were emptied. As some of the group left the shop, one person was seen pointing a handgun at an employee standing along a wall while another appeared to check that employee’s pockets. The suspects fled the scene in multiple vehicles prior to police arrival, police said; they remain unidentified and at large.
Chris Moore, a board member of a local rental housing association, posted on the social platform X that the 88-year-old owner suffered a stroke and was taken to a hospital, and that the man also sustained cuts from broken glass. The Associated Press left a phone message Monday seeking comment from Moore.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan called the robbery “appalling” in a response to Moore’s post. “Watching this senior get assaulted made my blood boil,” Mahan wrote Saturday on X. “These people need to face the harshest possible consequences for their actions. I’ve been in touch with our police chief ... and will be following the investigation closely.”
San Jose police provided the initial details in a public release and are investigating the incident. Authorities have not released suspect descriptions beyond the footage showing hooded and masked individuals, nor have they provided an inventory of the items taken.
The attack has drawn local attention to public safety and enforcement efforts as city officials coordinate with investigators. Police encouraged anyone with information or additional video to come forward to assist in identifying the suspects and recovering stolen property.
No arrests have been reported in connection with the robbery. Police said they will update the public as the investigation develops.