Smash-And-Grab Thieves Who Rammed Stolen Car Through OC Business ID'd As LA Men, Police Say

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Seven men were charged Tuesday with a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in Orange County that led to two separate crashes.

Anaheim police were sent to Classic Jewelers, located at 5753 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, at about 2:30 p.m. Friday when employees said that a Nissan Rogue compact crossover SUV rammed the front entrance.

A gun belonging to someone in the business was stolen from behind a store counter, police said.

The robbers fled the scene in two separate Dodge Chargers, abandoned the Nissan Rogue before leading police on two separate chases out of Anaheim.

All vehicles involved in the incident were reported stolen, court records show.

An Anaheim Police Department officer reported seeing one of the vehicles near East Street and the 91 Freeway. While the officer followed the vehicle, it did not give chase or attempt to pull the driver over, police said.

The driver crashed into several 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.