Thieves escape with safe and surveillance equipment in San Juan Capistrano jewelry store heist
Thieves broke into a San Juan Capistrano jewelry store overnight and made off with a safe, according to sheriff's officials, who estimated the loss at up to $1 million.
At some point late Tuesday or early Wednesday, the thieves got into Mission Jewelers, 31878 Del Obispo St., through the wall of a neighboring shop that is vacant, Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said.
The thieves dismantled the store's alarm system and ran off with the safe, Amormino said. It wasn't immediately clear if it was full of money or valuables, but investigators estimated the loss at between $500,000 to $1 million.
The thieves also took the store's surveillance equipment and dismantled a security gate.
"This was definitely a sophisticated and well-planned operation," Amormino said.
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