Suspects steal $4K in wedding bands from Santa Ana jewelry store in broad daylight

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- Santa Ana police are searching for three brazen robbery suspects caught on surveillance video in a jewelry store.

In the video, the men were wearing bandanas to cover their faces and walked toward a jewelry display case. One of the men smashed it open with a hammer and another one grabbed the jewelry.

The robbery happened at an independently owned jewelry store inside a Superior Grocers on Main Street shortly after 2 p.m. on Father's Day.

"It's a brazen act. I mean at 2 o'clock in the afternoon walking into a busy business with the masks on, crowbars and hammers in hand," Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

The suspects stole expensive wedding bands. The owner values them at about $4,000. But authorities said the owner's response may have prevented the men from taking more.

His frightened customers ran away and he grabbed a baseball bat. He waved it and then threw it at the robbers as they ran out.

One witness followed the men and said they were driving a purple Prius.

Anyone with more information is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department.