The pursuit from Anaheim Hills to Fullerton ended with two collisions and injuries to multiple bystanders, police said.
FULLERTON, CA — Seven suspected jewelry thieves were arrested Friday after ramming an SUV through an Anaheim Hills shop and crashing two getaway cars during a short pursuit into Fullerton around midafternoon, authorities said. Several motorists were hurt in the wrecks, and officers recovered scattered jewelry at the crash scenes.
Police and witnesses said the robbery at Classic Jewelers in Anaheim Hills triggered a fast-moving chase on nearby streets that ended in two collisions a few miles away in Fullerton. Investigators said roughly half a dozen people suffered minor to moderate injuries. The store’s owner reported that masked thieves smashed display cases with hammers and fled in two vehicles before officers closed in. By evening, officers and a SWAT team had tracked down seven suspects who tried to run from the crash sites and hide in surrounding yards. Detectives were interviewing them late Friday as they began piecing together how the crew planned the hit and whether it ties to other recent cases.
The robbery began when an SUV burst through the front entrance of Classic Jewelers in the 5700 block of Santa Ana Canyon Road, shattering glass and sending debris across the showroom, according to the store owner, Ramzy Tabello. Video from inside the shop shows several people in ski masks pouring in as cases were smashed and merchandise swept into containers. “I said, ‘I have a gun, get out,’” Tabello said, adding that one of the intruders grabbed his handgun from the counter before the group bolted. The thieves left in two cars, and Anaheim officers spotted them moments later, following the vehicles as they headed toward Fullerton. At about 2:40 p.m., one getaway car plowed into multiple vehicles at Orangethorpe Avenue and Lemon Street. Officers detained four people after they tried to run; diamonds and jewelry were visible amid the crash debris, police said. A second crash happened around 2:43 p.m. near Euclid Street and Malvern Avenue. SWAT officers later flooded the area and found three of the four people believed to be in that car.
Anaheim police Sgt. Eric Anderson said the crew’s tools and disguises suggested experience. “This is not their first time doing it,” Anderson said, crediting quick coordination by patrol officers, detectives and tactical units for the rapid arrests after the collisions. Tabello said eight people stormed his business, armed with hammers and crowbars, and estimated the group tossed high-value items into trash bins during the raid. He said no customers were inside at the time. Police said about six people were hurt in the two collisions, describing injuries as minor to moderate. Paramedics took several to local hospitals. Authorities did not immediately release the names or ages of the suspects. Officers recovered jewelry at both crash sites and were cataloging evidence from the store and the vehicles late Friday. The handgun taken from the counter was also listed among items investigators were working to locate.
The brazen daytime raid unnerved merchants in Anaheim Hills and Fullerton who have watched a series of smash-and-grab crews target stores across Southern California in recent years. In this case, the method mirrored other incidents: a vehicle used as a battering ram, masked suspects rushing in, and display cases shattered in seconds. The wrecks that followed increased the risk beyond the shop walls, snarling traffic at two busy intersections and sending innocent drivers to the hospital. Residents described officers going door to door after the crashes as helicopters circled overhead and K-9 teams searched yards. While officers emphasized that most such robberies end without injuries to bystanders, Friday’s events highlighted the speed and volatility that can unfold once crews try to flee through neighborhood streets at rush hour.
As of late Friday, Anaheim police said detectives were interviewing the seven people in custody and would present the case to the Orange County district attorney. Potential counts under review include burglary, robbery, conspiracy, felony evading, possession of stolen property and hit-and-run related to the crashes. Investigators were analyzing surveillance video from inside Classic Jewelers and nearby businesses, as well as dash and body cameras from responding officers. They planned to return to both crash scenes to map debris fields and inspect the vehicles for hidden compartments or additional evidence. Authorities also were checking whether the crew could be linked to earlier break-ins with similar tactics elsewhere in the region. Officials said the intersections at Orangethorpe and Lemon, and at Euclid and Malvern, would remain partially closed until accident investigators completed measurements and the tow crews cleared wreckage.
Neighbors near the second crash said they watched officers leap fences and search side yards as people were told to remain indoors. In Anaheim Hills, employees at adjacent businesses described the moment the SUV smashed through the jewelry store’s front, followed by the sound of hammers striking glass. “It was the scariest moment of my life,” Tabello said, explaining that he feared being shot or struck as the group ran through the store. A worker who arrived after the crash said he saw diamonds and watch parts among shards of glass on the sidewalk. At the first crash site, a driver whose car was struck said the impact spun his vehicle and deployed airbags. “It happened in a blink,” he said. Officers could be seen collecting loose bracelets and rings from the roadway while firefighters swept glass and coolant from the pavement. By nightfall, plywood covered the shop’s front, and crime-scene tape still ringed both intersections.
Police said the seven arrests cap a chaotic afternoon that started in Anaheim around 2:30 p.m. and unfolded across city lines within minutes. The suspects remained in custody Saturday morning as detectives prepared reports for prosecutors. Authorities said an update on booking decisions and any formal charges is expected early next week. Traffic lanes at both crash sites reopened overnight, and the store’s cleanup continued Saturday as investigators checked serial numbers and design markings on recovered items to verify ownership.
Author note: Last updated January 24, 2026.