A trio of thieves was caught on camera using sleight of hand to steal a $40,000 ring from a jewelry store in Santa Clarita.
Authorities believe this is not the first time the slick thieves have done something similar.
The shop's owner, Edmond, tells KTLA that the thieves were so smooth that he didn't suspect anything while being duped.
Jewelry Fixx security video caught the sly thieves in the act while their faces were clearly visible.
The trio, consisting of two women and one man, entered the shop around 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday. Edmond greets them at a display case in the video.
"All they wanted was a watch and a diamond ring," Edmond remembered.
The robbers pretended to be Italian tourists and showed him a wad of cash they intended to spend. Edmond showed them some items they could buy, including a $40,000 six-carat diamond ring. He claims that's when the distractions started.
“They were talking to each other really loud, their hands were everywhere,” Edmond recalled.
The video shows the women's hands moving around as they spoke. They requested wrapping paper, a gift bag, and a different ring box at one point. One of the women is seen quickly snatching the ring and concealing it beneath her wallet as Edmond turns away for a split second.
A second woman continues wrapping the ring box, informing Edmond that they will need to return to their car to get more money for the ring. They offer the owner $1,000 as collateral to keep the ring at the store for them.
The trio then leaves the shop, unaware that the ring has also left with them.
“We’re a small family-owned business, you know. Every day is a struggle for us to survive,” said Avo, Edmond’s son. “For somebody to come in here and do something like this really affects us.”
About 10 minutes after they left the store, Edmond realized he had been robbed.
“It’s my mistake, you know,” said Edmond. “I shouldn’t have left it right there. It’s a lesson learned. You can’t just trust anybody. You have to be careful.”
Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to contact the L.A. County Sheriff's Office at 661-260-4000.
