Two thieves executed a well-coordinated heist, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry in just a matter of seconds. According to KTLA, a jewelry store in Orange County recently fell victim to this audacious crime, carried out by a couple posing as affluent customers right under the owner’s nose.

The incident took place on the afternoon of September 17 at OC Diamond Estate Jewelry on Glassell Street. Store owner Samy Soliman recalled that a man and a woman entered the shop and requested to see some expensive jewelry. He noted that the duo appeared well-dressed and adorned with very expensive accessories, giving off an air of nobility.

Soliman recounted, “Suddenly, my phone rang, and I stepped away from the display case to take the call. In that brief moment, the woman took the opportunity to place a jewelry box on a nearby chair. I had no idea what was happening because her male companion was standing right in front of me, blocking my view.”

When Soliman ended the call, the woman continued to engage him in conversation to keep his focus, while at that moment, the man had already stuffed the jewelry box into his pants. The pair then exited the store. Surveillance footage reveals the woman placed the jewelry box on the chair while the man swiftly concealed it within his pants and covered it with his T-shirt.

“I turned my back for just a second, and in that instant, the items were gone,” Soliman stated. He did not realize the jewelry box was missing until later that evening. “When I was putting the other jewels back in the safe, I discovered one box was unaccounted for. At first, I thought I misplaced it.” However, after reviewing the surveillance footage, he confirmed it was indeed stolen.

This marked the third time Soliman’s shop had been robbed in the past four years, but it was the first instance where he witnessed the theft firsthand. He has reported the crime to the police and hopes to leverage social media to bring the thieves to justice. “I’m really afraid to showcase my jewelry now. There’s just this constant fear; I don’t know what might happen next,” Soliman admitted.

The thieves made off with multiple pieces of valuable jewelry, including 84 antique rings, with total losses estimated between $120,000 and $150,000. Soliman expressed concern that this significant loss would have long-term negative impacts on his business. “This theft is devastating for me because all the profits I’ve made over the past three or four years have been wiped out in one go. It’s huge.”

The store’s Instagram account has since posted the surveillance video of the heist, calling on followers and the public to assist in identifying the thieves. Anyone with information or who can help recognize the individuals in the video is urged to contact the Orange County Police Department immediately.