Police Take Four Robbery Suspects into Custody near Orange Grove and Prospect

Police took four jewelry store robbery suspects into custody Wednesday after a search of a South Pasadena residential area near Orange Grove Ave. and Prospect Dr. South Pasadena Police Sgt. Tony Abdalla said Pasadena Police will continue to search for any remaining suspects involved with the robbery.

Police cordoned off a 3-square-block perimeter Wednesday afternoon during a six-and-a-half hour search for several suspects involved in a "smash-and-grab" robbery at Pasadena Jewelry Mart at Colorado Blvd. and Los Robles Ave. Abdalla said police believe six to eight suspects left the scene of the crime, but as of late Wednesday night, he said the outstanding suspects were not in South Pasadena. 

As the suspects ran through South Pasadena yards in the afternoon hours on Wednesday, several residents saw them trying to hide in bushes or flee through yards.

"I was nervous and surprised," said South Pasadena resident Pauline Schneider (the wife of South Pasadena Mayor Richard Schneider), who saw two of the suspects run up the steps to her patio as she stood outside talking to a friend on the phone. "I thought something was wrong because they were running. I didn't know anything was going on at the time." She immediately told her friend on the phone to call the police.

She said her son was sitting in his room doing his homework when he saw the suspects right outside his window. "My son called 911 right away," she said. 

South Pasadena Police Chief Joe Payne said one of the suspects also tried to break into a home on Prospect Ave. "Evidence was found in the yard," he said.

Pasadena and South Pasadena Police brought in tactical teams, special enforcement units and canines as they searched yards and insides of homes for the suspects. According to Abdalla, several police departments - including Glendale and Monterey Park - assisted in the effort and police units came from as far as Whittier.

South Pasadena Police completed its search around 8 p.m., and Pasadena Police is now handling the investigation.

Below is our up-to-the-minute reporting during the police search on Wednesday: 

Updated at 7 p.m.: South Pasadena police reported that officers are still searching for jewelry store robbery suspects in the area off Grevelia St. on Prospect Ave. in South Pasadena. The number of remaining suspects is unknown. 

Updated at 6:20 p.m: Police arrested four jewelry robbery suspects in South Pasadena this afternoon. The suspects allegedly robbed the Pasadena Jewelry Mart and fled to South Pasadena, where Pasadena police deployed a special enforcement unit to conduct yard-to-yard searches for the suspects along with South Pasadena police units. According to Watch Commander Lt. Pete Hettema of the Pasadena Police Department, police believe six suspects were involved with the robbery. The four arrests were made in the area around Orange Grove Ave. and Prospect Dr.

"Police are still checking the area in South Pasadena," Hettema said. He encouraged residents in the area near Orange Grove Ave. and Prospect Dr. to stay inside their homes since police are still searching yards. 

A similar "smash-and-grab" robbery took place in Glendale yesterday and police are investigating a possible connection.

Updated at 5 p.m.: Watch Commander Lt. Rodney Wallace of the Pasadena Police Department said police arrested the fourth one around 4:30 p.m. "We are trying to confirm they were connected to this robbery," Wallace said. 

According to South Pasadena Police Department Dispatch Sharae Rodriguez, South Pasadena Police has set up a command post at the intersection of Prospect Circle and Prospect Dr.

Updated at 3:35 p.m. South Pasadena Police and Pasadena Police are currently searching for robbery suspects in the vicinity of Orange Grove Ave. and Prospect Dr. According to South Pasadena Police Department's dispatch Catalina Valdez, a perimeter has been set up around the area.

The robbery occurred the Pasadena Jewelry Mart at Colorado Blvd. and Los Robles Ave. around 2 p.m. this afternoon. Pasadena Police Department Lt. Jari Faulkner said police have caught some of the suspects, but are hunting for other suspects in South Pasadena right now.

According to Valdez of the South Pasadena Police Department, all South Pasadena PD units are out in the field. Valdez said police captured three suspects this afternoon, and one is still believed to be on the loose in the area.

The jewelry store's manager Richard Ghoogasian said the suspects came into the store and smashed the showcases before taking off. "Five to seven people came in very quickly," he said. "It all happened within 45 seconds." He has not yet determined the total damages.

Police officials encouraged residents in the vicinity to stay indoors while police are in the area.

"It's better to stay in the house," Faulkner said. "We don't know where the suspects are."

South Pasadena resident Laurie Allee said she saw a police helicopter circling overhead around 3:15 p.m. The helicopter, dispatched by Pasadena Police Department, warned residents to stay inside and directly addressed the suspects.

"I could hear the loudspeaker saying 'citizens stay indoors' and 'if you come out with your hands up, you won't be harmed,'" Allee said.

"This is so unusual for South Pasadena," she said. "It's unnerving."

This story will be updated with more information as it comes in.

To view photos of police arresting suspects, searching yards, and a helicopter circling above South Pasadena, click on the photo box above.