Seattle jewelry store robbed in 90 seconds

A daylight raid at a family jeweler in West Seattle ended in rapid theft and property loss.

Seattle jewelry store robbed in 90 seconds

Around noon on August 14, four masked suspects used hammers to smash the locked front glass door of Menashe and Sons Jeweler in West Seattle. They ripped through six display cases and grabbed merchandise in about 90 seconds before fleeing in a getaway car. Police said the robbers were armed with a Taser and bear spray and pointed the weapons at employees during the robbery. No injuries were reported.

The store’s owner and employees described a chaotic scene as glass shattered and alarms rang. One case held between $700,000 and $800,000 in Rolex watches, another contained an emerald necklace with a platinum diamond, and two other displays held gold jewelry. After the heist, workers began a careful inventory as the shop closed for the day. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and seeking tips from the public.

The raid shows how quickly a small, family owned business can suffer a large loss in a highly public space. The use of bear spray and a Taser signals a shift toward more aggressive tools in daytime robberies that target high‑value items. For communities, the incident raises questions about street-level security, policing response times, and how retailers protect inventory without deterring customers. If such incidents spread, it could push calls for better storefront security and rapid incident reporting, while also testing how law enforcement coordinates in fast, urban crimes.

Highlights

Security and resilience will define Seattle’s street-level retail recovery in the weeks ahead.