This is the shocking moment an Oakland jewelry store owner was forced to cower in fear as a gang of armed robbers looted her stock before her brave husband chased them away at gunpoint.
The eight hammer-wielding robbers smashed through Phuong Jewelry in Oakland’s Chinatown on Wednesday, in what has been called the worst robbery the family-owned business has faced in more than four decades.
Imagery shared with ABC7 News of the burglary shows, shop owner and mother Diane, 69, is desperate for shelter as the black-clad robbers begin storming through the small shop.
Within seconds of entering, the masked group raised their weapons and began banging on the glass counters as Diane and another woman cowered behind the displays.
The armed suspects continued to loot the supplies as the terrified women screamed for help and bravely tried to grab what they could from the tops of the destroyed cupboards.
The eight hammer-wielding robbers smashed through Phuong Jewelry in Oakland’s Chinatown on Wednesday as store owner Diane cowered behind the display case.
Diane and another woman crouch and run to leave the room as the robbers continue their looting of the store.
Her husband, 76, is seen in footage emerging from a doorway at the end of the store, scaring away the robbers
With bags in hand, you can see the robbers quickly stacking jewelry inside as they continue their rampage through the store.
Diane begins waving her hands as she calls for urgent help, before the two women make the heartbreaking decision to run for the nearest exit.
Crouching, they run through the long space behind the now destroyed counter, but the robbers are too busy filling their pockets with gems and jewels to notice or stop them.
They continue to pound the glass with their hammers and reach into the closet with gloved hands, while Diane peers around the corner of the doorway as she watches her family store being torn to shreds.
Then out of nowhere the group starts to disperse and walk towards the door as a man in red emerges from the doorway with a firearm in hand.
Diane’s heroic husband, 76, storms through the store as the criminals run out of the store.
Speaking to the news site, the son of the shocked store owner, Tony Trinh, said the store had been robbed before, but never on this scale.
‘I thought: has my mother been shot? Was my father shot? Did any of our employees or community members do that?’ he said.
According to reports, approximately 85 to 95 percent of the stock was seized in the robbery and Diane’s American Dream collapsed in less than a minute.
Tony said his mother was “devastated” and his father “heartbroken” after the ordeal.
But the horror incident did not dampen Diane’s work ethic as her son revealed she would be back at work today.
We can’t let our fear get the better of us! The only way to reduce crime is to have more traffic, events and people to get more resources. A strong Oakland Chinatown is strong for every community in Oakland,” said Tony.
The local community and the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council have come together to set up a GoFundMe to help the family make up for the enormous losses they suffered as a result of the robbery.
Oakland police told the news site that they are currently investigating the case and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Oakland is experiencing a worrying rise in crime as the area is increasingly plagued by robberies.
As a result of the ruthless criminal activity, several popular restaurants have had to close their doors due to staff concerns for their safety.
Earlier this week, DailyMail.com revealed that Taco Bell locations in Oakland were only forced to become drive-thru due to a concerning series of robberies.
Four of the five locations in the Bay Area city now display large signs from their windows that read: “DINING ROOM CLOSED.”
Sources said the owner of a local franchise has even threatened closure if the security situation does not improve.
In late January, a nearby Denny’s fast-food restaurant was closed due to the violence, and in February it was announced that Oakland’s only In-N-Out Burger restaurant will close after 18 years, with the company claiming customers and staff are now “unsafe.” ‘.
Amid rising violence in Oakland, popular restaurants have been forced to close their dining rooms as customers and staff are now ‘unsafe’
An Oakland police source called Taco Bell’s recent struggles a reflection of the “very dire state our city is in.”
“Especially when it comes to robberies, this is the worst we’ve seen here in many, many years,” the source told DailyMail.com.
“It’s sad that it has gotten to the point where Taco Bell’s customer base can’t even dine indoors anymore due to crime.
“We are in the midst of a doomsday scenario for businesses in Oakland as crime continues to rise,” the source continued.
“There are not enough officers and no real support for law enforcement in Oakland. Elected officials generally have no interest in public safety.
“They are more sympathetic to criminals than to the businesses or residents of Oakland.
Data from the Oakland Police Department shows that robberies increased by a whopping 38% between 2022 and 2023.