Robbery at Wolfchase Galleria sends shoppers scrambling
(WMC-TV) - Shoppers and employees at Wolfchase Galleria Mall took cover Saturday evening as they heard several men rob a jewelry store, smashing the display cases with hammers. Many shoppers thought the sound of the breaking glass was instead -- gunfire.
Police say five or six men entered Reeds Jewelry around 7:39 p.m. and started smashing the display cases. Employees at the store ran to the back. The men took about 65 Rolex watches, estimated to be worth $11,000 each.
The men reportedly put the watches in pillow cases and ran from the business, using two different exits.
Initial reports to police said shots were being fired in the mall, but after further investigation it was determined the noises shoppers heard were not shots, but instead sounds of the glass breaking.
"We were just downstairs and heard two pops I think," said Darius Martin, who was on his way to the food court. "And everybody just started running."
"When I just saw people running, my instant reaction was to run too but then we still went downstairs to see it, because we thought it was a fight or something," said Deonte Martin. "And my friend said, 'Just turn around, turn around,' because he heard somebody say they got a gun. So we turned around, ran back up the steps and ran out the door."
The mall was placed on lockdown. No injuries were reported.
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