Sunnyvale police have foiled another attempted jewelry store robbery, the latest in a crime wave targeting Indian-owned jewelry stores.
Just before 4 p.m. Aug. 31, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers responded to a call of a robbery in progress at Nitin Jewelers, 1111 W. El Camino Real. Police spotted a stolen vehicle on Mary Avenue and California Avenue, heading toward El Camino Real.
Concerned that the vehicle was used in the attempt, police flooded the El Camino Real corridor with squad cars. Soon after, police spotted a convoy fleeing westbound on El Camino Real, near Grape Avenue.
“We believe the suspects fled due to being unsuccessful in gaining entry into the business and seeing the police presence in the area,” Capt. Dzanh Le, with the Sunnyvale DPS, wrote in an email.
Police pursued the convoy onto northbound Highway 85 into Palo Alto, but ended the chase near University Avenue when California Highway Patrol (CHP) took over. CHP abandoned the chase a short time later.
Police were unable to determine the exact number of vehicles in the convoy, which included various makes and models of sedans and SUVs — including Hondas and Acuras. Le wrote simply that there were “more than five.”
Approximately 20 suspects, some armed with sledgehammers, attempted to breach the jewelry store just prior to police arriving.
No injuries were reported.
The attempt is the latest in a slew of such crimes targeting jewelry stores along El Camino Real and Le wrote that the gameplan for the attempt was similar to others DPS has been investigating.
In late June, a dozen men made off with an undisclosed amount of jewelry at an El Camino Real jewelry store.
In recent months, DPS arrested 10 suspects in two separate busts, one in mid-July, and another in mid-June. Just days prior to the July arrests, armed employees at another Indian-owned store deterred another attempt, also on El Camino Real.
The husband of the owner of yet another Indian-owned El Camino Real jewelry store also deterred a similar attempt when he brandished a gun at the would-be thieves in April.
Thieves have begun using stolen vehicles to ram the front of jewelry stores to gain access. Then, crooks swarm the business, often armed with hammers. They then use the hammers to smash display cases, stealing valuables and absconding in a matter of minutes into waiting vehicles, leaving the stolen vehicle at the scene.
Detectives are conducting a follow-up investigation. Police implore anyone with information about the incident to contact the Sunnyvale DPS at (408) 730-7100.
Contact David Alexander at d.todd.alexander@gmail.com
— Sunnyvale DPS (@SunnyvaleDPS) September 2, 2025
