Truck slams through Los Altos jewelry store during burglary: video

LOS ALTOS, Calif. (KGO) -- Video from early Monday morning captures a stolen truck smashing into the Marcel Jewelry Design store in Los Altos three times before busting through.

That's when the burglars jumped into action.

"It pisses me off," the daughter of the owner of Marcel Jewelry Design store said. "My dad has never done anyone wrong. My dad is really old school so it's kind of, it hurts to see people treat him that way. I see my mom and dad, they work so hard. For someone to do this, it's like, 'why?' Good people finish last."

After crashing through the front wall of the store, thieves stole upwards of $200,000 worth of jewelry from display cases.

They used hammers to smash the display cases, grabbing handfuls of jewelry and escaping in less than 60 seconds.

"I've been here 42 years and this is the first time," the owner said.

The owners, who wanted to remain anonymous, say thieves tried to break into their store two other times in the last four months, but were unsuccessful.

They say other jewelry stores in Downtown Los Altos have also been robbed over the years, including a seven-figure heist.

"I see a big mess that I have to clean up and a lot of money to fix the windows and everything," The Marcel Jewelry Design store owner said. "The other jeweler on First Street, they got a million plus dollars from them in diamonds.

Then Harold's down the street here, they took the whole safe on the weekend. Out of the back they just pulled it out and the alarm didn't catch it. It's not good."

Smythe & Cross Fine Jewelry is located down the street from Marcel Jewelry design.

This store has not been hit.

But the president of the company says this is an unfortunate risk of the business.

"It becomes really difficult, especially for small businesses, and especially this time of year during the holidays," Smythe & Cross Fine Jewelry President Khatchig Jingirian said. "It is an important season for us a jewelers to have to deal with your store being taken out, it's really frustrating. I can't even imagine what that other store is going through right now."

The burglaries are something that the Los Altos Police have on their radar and hope to stop soon.

"We have had some break-ins over the last year," Los Altos Police Watch Commander Eric Bardwell said. "It is a concern. We're doing what we can to try and put a stop to it or at least ease what's happening down there."

The Los Altos Police released this full statement following the burglary:

"On December 2nd, 2019 at approximately 0250 hours a business was burglarized in the 200 block of Main St in Los Altos. The suspects used an unreported stolen truck to gain entry into the business, then took merchandise and fled the area. The stolen truck was left at the scene and processed for evidence."

Until then, these owners are left to clean up the mess and wonder if it's worth staying in business.

"There's not many honest people out there," the owner said. "I help the community. I've been here through rough, bad and good times. I don't think that's right. It might be a sign from the guy up there saying 'It's time.' I've been fighting cancer for four years. I don't need this."