Masked raiders stage armed robbery at jewellery shop

At least two dozen people wearing masks and some carrying pick axes and handguns have smashed jewellery cases and made off with bags full of items during a robbery at a San Francisco Bay area store, authorities said.

Video from the robbery in the US state of California on Monday shows a stream of people wearing masks covering their faces entering the shop and using the pick axes to crack the glass cases and clear them out.

The shop’s doors locked after the robbers were inside because of security measures put in place after the store was previously robbed, and at least one of the people fired a handgun at the door to get out, police said.

No-one was injured, according to police.

The robbers then fled to cars waiting in a nearby car park, the San Ramon Police Department said.

Officers tracked the vehicles from the air and were able to arrest several suspects, according to police.

In a statement posted to social media, Heller Jewellers expressed gratitude for “an outpouring of kindness” since the robbery and said it planned to reopen on Saturday.