Seven men were charged Tuesday with a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in Anaheim Hills that led to vehicle crashes in Anaheim and Fullerton.
Police were sent to Classic Jewelers, at 5753 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, near the Riverside (91) Freeway and Imperial Highway, about 2:30 p.m. Friday when employees said a Nissan Rogue compact crossover SUV rammed the front entrance, police said. A gun belonging to someone in the business was stolen from behind a counter, police said.
The robbers fled in two separate Dodge Chargers and abandoned the 2017 Nissan Rogue, police said. All the vehicles were reported stolen, according to court records.
An Anaheim Police Department officer saw one of the vehicles near East Street and the Riverside Freeway and followed it but did not give chase or attempt to pull the driver over, police said. The driver crashed into multiple vehicles as it approached Orangethorpe Avenue, prompting three of the suspects to try to run away, police said.
Officers in an Anaheim Police Department helicopter tracked down the second suspected get-away car in Fullerton near Harbor and Brea boulevards, police said. That car was also involved in a multi-vehicle crash near Euclid Street and Malvern Avenue in Fullerton, police said.
Two suspects were arrested following that crash, police said.
Two other suspects were also arrested nearby several hours later, police said.
Several other victims involved in the crashes were taken to hospitals to be treated for injuries not believed to be life-threatening, police said.
One of the suspects is a 17-year-old boy.
The other defendants are Leontrey Gipson, 23, of Los Angeles; Khamari Toles, 20, of Inglewood; Latrell Matthews, 19, of Los Angeles; Deondre Jones, 23, of Los Angeles; Jose Martinezcolindre, 24; Tylaind Brown, 20, of Compton; and Khilen Toles, 20, of Inglewood.