A group of nearly 25 people carried out a violent daytime robbery at Heller Jewellers in San Ramon on Monday, escaping with approximately USD 1 million worth of jewellery before police apprehended several suspects following a high-speed chase.
The robbers stormed the upscale store at City Centre Bishop Ranch shortly after 2 pm, armed with at least three guns, crowbars, and pickaxes. They smashed display cases and grabbed jewellery while staff and customers sought cover. Newly installed security doors, added after a 2023 break-in, temporarily trapped the suspects inside, prompting at least one to fire shots at the glass entrance; no injuries were reported.
Police said the heist appeared meticulously planned. The group arrived in six vehicles, parking in the valet area less than 100 feet from the store entrance. Authorities initially pursued the vehicles, but the chase was abandoned when speeds exceeded 100 mph. Using drone footage, bystander videos, and surveillance cameras, police later tracked and arrested seven suspects—three adults and a juvenile in Oakland, with local police assistance, and three adults at Dublin BART station.
The suspects, aged 17 to 31 and all from Oakland, are believed to have links to other Bay Area robberies. Police recovered two guns, some of the stolen jewellery, and several stolen getaway cars. The investigation is ongoing.
