Brazen Burglars Hit North Valley Gold Stores

The burglary in Merced happened around 3:45 on Wednesday morning.  Surveillance video shows a car into Goldsmith Jewelers and four suspects running inside.  Merced Police say the suspects broke display cases and took what they could.  Within seconds they run back out, likely to a getaway car.

Wednesday afternoon glass workers repair the extensive damage to the storefront.  A college student shopping next door feels for the local owner of Goldsmith Jewelers.

“A lot of places are barely making it and then having to replace everything makes it that much harder to stay afloat,” said Alex Garcia, a Merced resident.

It's a similar scene at the Atwater Goldsmith Jewelers, only there, the burglars didn't get away with any jewelry.

“The store itself has a security screen that's just inside the business so it appears that held up,” said Detective Armondo Echevarria of the Atwater Police Department.

Some residents are surprised by the lengths criminals are going to for cash.

“The way the prices are with gold and even silver, it can cause a lot of people with these economic times to do some pretty desperate things,” said Jason medina.

The owner of Goldsmith Jewelers was too upset to talk to CBS47.  Police say last month he was held up at gunpoint at the Atwater store in broad daylight.

“[Suspects] caused significant damage to the display cases and there was a single shot fired in the incident, however nobody was hurt,” said Echevarria.

The suspects are still outstanding.  If you have any information about these cases, call Atwater Police at 209-357-6390 or Merced Police at 209-385-4702.