Crime Wave: Thieves with Sledgehammers Steal $5 Million in Jewelry from Beverly Hills Store in Broad Daylight

Thieves wielding sledgehammers stole as much as $5 million in merchandise from a Beverly Hills, California, jewelry store Tuesday, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Beverly Hills police said approximately five robbers arrived in a stolen vehicle and smashed the windows of the upscale storefront before grabbing handfuls of jewelry, NBC Los Angeles reported. Police told the outlet the thieves were difficult to identify due to their obscured faces and the stolen car.

The heist was caught on camera by a bystander across the street, who filmed the perpetrators in hoodies grabbing merchandise, according to a video shared by NBC Los Angeles. The video shows a man kicking and shoving the thieves outside of the store before they fled the scene.

“Get him!” one bystander shouted. Several cars drove past the scene, and others slowed down to watch the heist unfold.

In response to the robbery, police are adding “a camera trailer, extra security patrols, and extra special watch from officers” to South Beverly Drive, where the robbery took place, Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) Chief Mark Stainbrook said in an advisory notice on Tuesday.

Stainbrook acknowledged the community’s frustration with crime, and he urged local prosecutors to help the city and police department, according to the advisory.

Rising crime rates in Los Angeles have blead into wealthy areas, including Beverly Hills, which saw a 23% rise in violent crime in the last two years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The BHDP did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.