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CNN Sunday Morning

Millions of Dollars Stolen From Jewelry Store in Florida

Aired June 29, 2003 - 09:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: A smash and grab robbery is under investigation in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Thieves targeted a jewelry store. And in less than one minute, stole -- listen to this, millions of dollars in gems and watches. And the crime is on videotape.
Here's Michelle King of our affiliate WSVN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE KING, WSVN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Watch on this surveillance tape as the family of four is buzzed into East Coast Jewelry. Out of nowhere, a band of masked criminals barrels past the family and into the store.

NICHOLAS WHITE, WITNESS: I got to the corner of this building and three cars pulled up, eight guys jumped out, there was three drivers. They ran in the store, then you heard crashing, screaming. Then they come running out.

KING: As robbers shattered glass and pillage the store, Nicholas White watches in shock and calls 911.

WHITE: Looked very professional. There was just boom, like that. A minute, they're gone.

KING: In fact, 42 seconds of terror.

JOE PORTUONDO, STORE EMPLOYEE: I just heard the bang, and I thought it was shots, you know. And I just hit the floor like everybody else inside.

KING: At least six men with sledgehammers smashed glass and grabbed what store owners say is about two million dollars worth of jewelry.

PORTUONDO: Well, they took very expensive watches and diamonds and expensive jewelry.

KING: Store employee's even point out on surveillance tape that one of the robbers held a gun to a child.

Now Broward sheriff's deputies are on the lookout for the gang of robbers in this high-priced heist.

JIM LELJEDAL, BROWARD SHERIFF'S OFFICE: This was a very well planned, well-staged robbery involving six to eight different people. We're not exactly sure how many people because they moved so fast. And they were in and out of the store in less than a minute.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSBORN: That was Michelle King from our affiliate WSVN in Miami.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 29, 2003 - 09:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: A smash and grab robbery is under investigation in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Thieves targeted a jewelry store. And in less than one minute, stole -- listen to this, millions of dollars in gems and watches. And the crime is on videotape.
Here's Michelle King of our affiliate WSVN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE KING, WSVN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Watch on this surveillance tape as the family of four is buzzed into East Coast Jewelry. Out of nowhere, a band of masked criminals barrels past the family and into the store.

NICHOLAS WHITE, WITNESS: I got to the corner of this building and three cars pulled up, eight guys jumped out, there was three drivers. They ran in the store, then you heard crashing, screaming. Then they come running out.

KING: As robbers shattered glass and pillage the store, Nicholas White watches in shock and calls 911.

WHITE: Looked very professional. There was just boom, like that. A minute, they're gone.

KING: In fact, 42 seconds of terror.

JOE PORTUONDO, STORE EMPLOYEE: I just heard the bang, and I thought it was shots, you know. And I just hit the floor like everybody else inside.

KING: At least six men with sledgehammers smashed glass and grabbed what store owners say is about two million dollars worth of jewelry.

PORTUONDO: Well, they took very expensive watches and diamonds and expensive jewelry.

KING: Store employee's even point out on surveillance tape that one of the robbers held a gun to a child.

Now Broward sheriff's deputies are on the lookout for the gang of robbers in this high-priced heist.

JIM LELJEDAL, BROWARD SHERIFF'S OFFICE: This was a very well planned, well-staged robbery involving six to eight different people. We're not exactly sure how many people because they moved so fast. And they were in and out of the store in less than a minute.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSBORN: That was Michelle King from our affiliate WSVN in Miami.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com