Attempted Jewelry Robbery In Lafayette Goes Wrong, Owner Starts Shooting

Three men attempting to rob the store in downtown Lafayette Friday got a rude reception when - after two of the men began attacking the store display cases with hammers - the owner responded by firing two shots at them.

Contra Costa County Sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said Saturday that two masked men entered Prive Jewelers in the 3500 block of Mount Diablo Blvd. at 1:45 p.m. Friday and began to attack the store's display cases with hammers.

The owner, at the rear of the store at the time, thought that the noise was the result of gunshots being fired at him and armed himself, firing two rounds at the two men in his store, Lee said.

With that, the two would-be robbers made their way out of the store and into a waiting car which sped off - colliding with another vehicle as the driver sought to escape the area, according to Lee.

About an hour after the attempted robbery an unidentified 24-year-old man "showed up" at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley at 2:15 p.m., complaining of a gunshot wound, Lee said. He was later transferred to another hospital as investigators believe he was in fact shot while attempting to rob the Lafayette store.

The store owner, whose name was not given for his own protection, was not hurt during the incident.

Anyone with information on the case, perhaps someone who caught the license plate number of the getaway car, should call 925 646-2441.