More Than $1 Million In Jewelry Stolen During Heist In Monroeville
MONROEVILLE (KDKA) -- Investigators are looking for at least four thieves caught on a surveillance camera in a Monroeville restaurant parking lot last Friday night making off with expensive diamonds and jewelry after beating up a man.
Video surveillance from a camera outside the Udipi Café on Old William Penn Highway caught the images of the suspects accused of stealing the estimated $1.2 million worth of jewelry.
WEB EXTRA: Surveillance Video:
The video shows the victims pulling into the parking lot and one of the men walking inside the restaurant to pick up some carryout food.
Minutes later, four people are seen running across the parking lot towards the van.
Investigators say those people are accused of assaulting the passenger in the van, and then running to a waiting car with several pieces of luggage, which contained the jewelry.
"They took everything, all the luggage and everything," said Binto Patel, of the Shingar Indian Boutique, which is adjacent to the restaurant.
One of the suspects, police say, may have been a woman.
Minutes later, the victim who was assaulted in the van ran into the restaurant screaming for help.
"The coworker was bleeding… because they punched him right in the nose," said Patel.
KDKA's Bob Allen Reports:
It's believed the man who went inside the restaurant to get the food was hurt after he ran out and tried to jump on the getaway car but was thrown off as it pulled away.
The two victims were treated at a hospital for minor injuries.
According to witnesses, the jewelry dealers come to the area from New Jersey every year and were selling jewelry at the Doubletree Hotel in Monroeville.
Authorities say they believe the thieves may have followed the salesmen from the East Coast, waiting for a chance to steal the merchandise.
This is the third robbery of its kind here in the area.
One happened back in 2013 in Monroeville, another happened in the North Regional district which covers the Pine-Richland community.
Monroeville Police say they'll be working with the FBI in hopes of catching the suspects who they believe are in another state.
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