Quick action by OC jewelry store owner leads to arrest of would-be burglars
YORBA LINDA, Calif. (KABC) -- Two people are in custody after a stakeout at a jewelry store in Yorba Linda early Monday morning.
Inside David Hayman Jewelers, the front door lock has been busted by a crowbar, two glass display cases are cracked and damaged - but Hayman considers the damage a win.
"They did a fantastic job, and you've never seen a happier bunch of sheriffs at 3:00 in the morning," said Hayman. "They got to catch bad guys, it was just awesome."
Someone cut Hayman's power Sunday, a day the store is usually closed.
His family came by to check on the store and saw the cameras and alarm weren't working.
They immediately called the Orange County Sheriff's Department after realizing they were about to be burglarized.
"They would cut a hole in the roof, they would come into the store, they would destroy the safes, destroy cases in the store, steal everything they could," said Hayman.
He describes a scenario that's played out at multiple jewelry stores in Orange County recently, including at stores in Fullerton and Laguna Niguel.
Deputies hatched a plan to stake out the store and catch the would-be thieves. In addition to a surveillance team, Hayman said two deputies waited in the dark by the bathrooms for the crooks to strike.
"Straight through the front door, really aggressive, really bold, which is really scary for the next jewelry merchant they're trying to hit,' said Hayman.
Hayman says deputies arrested two of the three men.
The sheriff's department says one man was a Chilean national, while the other did not have an ID. It's a similar description of suspects from the other jewelry heists with the same MO.
Deputies say they're looking into any connection.
Hayman says he's grateful, because he knows others have been disappointed and suffered major losses.
"You can't always capture bad guys, they can't be everywhere all the time, they just can't," said Hayman. "We were lucky enough, we were in the right place at the right time."
