Thieves grab US$2 million in jewellery in Seattle heist that took less than two minutes

Suspects stole over US$2 million from a jewelry store in Seattle.

SEATTLE — Smash-and-grab thieves in Seattle made off with an estimated US$2 million in diamonds, luxury watches, gold and other items in a daring midday jewellery store robbery that took just about 90 seconds, police said Friday.

Video from the West Seattle store’s surveillance cameras shows four masked suspects shattering the locked glass front door with hammers and then ransacking six display cases Thursday.

One display held around US$750,000 worth in Rolex watches, police said in a statement, and another had an emerald necklace valued at US$125,000.

A masked suspect threatened workers with bear spray and a Taser, police said, but no one was injured.

“We’re pretty shook up as a staff,” Josh Menashe, vice president of the family-owned store, said by phone Friday. “We’re gonna be closed for a while.”

Menashe said workers finished cleaning up the broken glass and were working on a full inventory of the losses.

Police said they responded to the robbery but the suspects had already fled in a getaway car and eluded a search of the area.

Cedar Attanasio, The Associated Press