NATIONAL CITY, Calif. —
Police on Tuesday were investigating a “smash-and-grab" at Westfield Plaza Bonita Mall.
Two suspects reportedly used a hammer to smash the glass cases of the Code 1 Jewelry kiosk and shoppers thought the sound was gunshots.
"Me and my husband were there at Kay Jewelers and out of nowhere we heard a loud bang," said Vernice Ramirez, shopper.
She said when they turned around it was chaotic.
"We saw people running. We saw some of the stores closing down and someone ran past us and said 'active shooter,'" said Ramirez. "We panicked. We ran towards safety. We ran towards the exit and headed home."
National City Police said around 2:30 p.m. they received several calls of an active shooter inside the mall.
"Our initial officers who responded saw people running from the mall. Everything indicated, initially, it was an active shooter," said Sgt. Steve Shepard, National City Police Department.
Police swarmed the area, their active shooting training they've done with the mall kicked in. All the stores went on lockdown.
"We quickly determined there were no shots fired. There was no one armed with a handgun," said Shepard.
Rather it was a smash-and-grab involving two suspected men who used a hammer to smash the glass of the jewelry cases. Police believe there is no connection to the large robberies happening in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
"This was not a mob. This was two suspects that - based off security footage - we had determined and saw they were hanging around the area of the jewelry kiosk," said Shepard.
The suspects fled the scene with gold necklaces – some of which were dropped in the direction they fled.
Tthe mall remained open following the incident. A spokesperson for Westfield Plaza Bonita shared the following statement:
“We continue to closely monitor the situation and are coordinating with local law enforcement to ensure our property is as secure as possible for both retailers and shoppers.”
The mayor also sent a statement to News 8 assuring constituents and shoppers it was not an active shooter mayor detailed what she knew about the theft as of Tuesday afternoon.
The suspects have not been caught. Since the two suspected men were wearing masks and hoodies, police have a vague description of the suspects but say they have leads on their identity.
They also believe this crime is not connected to other robberies.
If you have any information about this crime that could help in the investigation you are encouraged to call National City Police at 619-336-4411.
No injuries were reported.