MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police are on the hunt for a man who smashed the front counter at an Orange Mound pawn shop and swiped thousand of dollars worth of jewelry.
The crime was caught on camera.
It happened at Cash America on Lamar just before noon Friday.
The footage shows the thief reach into his pocket, grab a hammer and bash in the glass case.
Using both hands, you can see him stuff more than $4,000 worth of gold chains and necklaces into his coat.
Seconds later, you see an employee start swinging a broom at his face.
She was apparently yelling, “Get out,” and the suspect bolted down the street.
“You have children around here. You have elderly people around here. It is alarming,” said Felicia Grimes who shops in the area.
She and others are feeling uneasy, especially because this was the second time a crook used a hammer to grab goods at Cash America.
The Park Avenue location reported being hit just days before.
“Me and my kids go down there,” said Robin Walker. “It’s a good place to go to and shop at. They greet you and everything. I am sorry to hear about that.”
Memphis is no stranger to the troubling trend of smash and grabs.
Just this year, more than 50 were reported.
The targets include stores, malls, gas stations and churches.
Investigators said often times such cases are hard to crack, because the crimes are carried out by traveling gangs.
“It’s scary what’s happening now and days,” said Grimes.
Cash America refused to comment on these incidents.
WREG is told investigators collected fingerprints and the hammer.
If you know anything, call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.