Store owner offers reward
The owner of a Plumas Street shop robbed in broad daylight vowed Friday to do everything he can to help find the thugs who beat his employee and made off with the store's jewelry.
Armando Espinoza, owner of Joyeria y Novedades Espinoza, said he intends to announce a $30,000 reward on Spanish-language station KUVS-TV Channel 19. The money would be offered for specific information on the robbery.
“I'm going to do everything and anything to make them pay for what they did,” said Espinoza.
Yuba City police had no suspects or leads in the case Friday, said spokeswoman Shawna Pavey.
Police are asking anyone with information to call the department at 822-4660 or the anonymous tip line at 822-4848.
Police were looking for three men who fled the store Thursday after the robbery that took place shortly before noon.
The suspects spent 40 minutes in the store, casing it while acting as customers before committing the crime. They escaped in a white car that police later found abandoned.
Espinoza was upset that robbers pistol-whipped his employee, a relative who was taken to Rideout Emergency Center.
The employee screamed for help during the incident, said Espinoza. But his cries went unheard on the street. After the robbery, he managed to reach Yuba City police by dialing 911. Police reports showed a 911 hang-up call from the shop at 943 Plumas St. The call was made at 11:35 a.m.
The victim was released from the hospital. Bruised and battered, he suffered a big cut on his head, Espinoza said.
Blood from the beating was all over the store, said Espinoza. On Friday, he was cleaning up, throwing away merchandise that was stained with blood.
Espinoza was also dismayed that someone would feel they have a right to just come in and take what he has worked so hard to achieve - thousands of dollars worth of gold jewelry from the western-wear store that he started less than a year ago.
“I feel sad because I have to start over now,” said Espinoza.
He said that he often sees these kind of incidents on television news, but he never thought it would happen to him.
“I hope it doesn't happen to everybody else,” said Espinoza.
Appeal-Democrat reporter John Dickey can be reached at 749-4711. You may e-mail him at jdickey@appeal-democrat.com.
