DENVER — Security video from a robbery on Monday shows a group of men being let into a Denver jewelry store and then immediately pulling out guns.
Within seconds, one of them jumped over the counter as employees fled to a back room. Another suspect pointed a gun at those in the store and appeared to order them to the ground, although the video is silent.
Denver Police said they're looking for eight men in connection with the aggravated robbery of a jewelry store in the 5100 block of West 38th Avenue around 2 p.m. on Monday.
Police did not name the business, but the owners of Joyeria el Ruby spoke with 9NEWS and shared videos of the robbery. Their store is located near West 38th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard. The owner of Joyeria El Ruby, Lidia Tena, said more than $2.5 million worth of jewelry was stolen.
One clip shows three women running into what appears to be a back office. One of them grabs a small child who was sitting on a chair in the office. Tena said it was her one-year-old grandson. Her daughter grabbed him and the other children and took them to a nearby CVS before four more men forced their way in through the back door.
The other two are seen trying to push the door closed behind them as several of the men try to force their way inside. Two men make it in and are seen struggling with the women before one of them hits the women in the back of their heads with what appears to be a gun.
While they were in the back room, another man came to the door and appeared to be holding multiple chains in his hands. Video from the front of the store showed that same man yanking gold chains off the wall while another man held the customers at gunpoint.
Tena said she and her niece were injured in the attack.
"My whole head was dripping with blood from the back," Tena said in Spanish. "Same as my niece, she grabbed, I don't know, a napkin, and she would put the napkin on and we would see how it bled, a lot of blood was coming out."
She said there was a point at which she feared that day would be her last.
"In that moment, you think that, if he felt like it, he could pull the trigger and that would be it," Tena said.
Other clips show the men removing handfuls of jewelry from the cases and dumping them into bags. In a Crime Stoppers bulletin, police said the suspects were described as men in their 20s who were armed with handguns.
Tena has owned the jewelry store for 25 years, and said this is the main source of income for her and her children.
"In one moment, what you worked on for so many years — you arrive, and in a moment, you are left on the street," Tena said.
Tena said a similar burglary took place at her store in 2004.
A store employee said Joyeria El Ruby was expected to reopen on Thursday with the inventory they have. Tena is hoping people see the security camera video and recognize the robbers.
"I have a lot of faith that we can recover my merchandise," Tena said.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or metrodenvercrimestoppers.com. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
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