According to a store employee at a jewelry store in Montclair, California, a masked suspect entered the Fast-Fix Jewelry and Watch Repairs at the Montclair Place Mall on the evening of February 12th, around 7:30 pm, and proceeded to rob the store at gunpoint.
Surveillance footage captured the moment when a female store clerk named Alin Ouhan stood face to face with the armed assailant and bravely fought back.
Ouhan described the suspect as a 45 to 55-year-old Hispanic man with a dark complexion.
The suspect initially pretended to browse around before suddenly rushing behind the jewelry counter towards the store clerk, Ouhan.
Video shared by KTLA, a Nexstar-affiliated TV station, shows the suspect pointing a weapon at Ouhan, who appeared to be visibly shocked. The suspect demanded diamond rings and jewelry from her while instructing her to remain quiet.
The footage reveals the suspect smashing the display cases and stealing jewelry, with Ouhan fighting back. The two engaged in a scuffle, during which Ouhan managed to disarm the suspect, grabbing, scratching, and hitting him, while the suspect fiercely tried to grab more jewelry before eventually fleeing the store.
According to Ouhan, the robber was carrying a handgun and a stun gun. ABC7 reported that the police later found the gun at the scene, confirming it was an unloaded and non-functional BB gun.
The suspect injured himself while breaking the glass cases, leaving bloodstains at the scene.
The jewelry store is owned by Ouhan’s family. They told KTLA that Ouhan herself was unharmed, but the entire family was shocked upon watching the surveillance footage of her courageous resistance.
Recalling the incident, Ouhan stated, “I was alone and terrified, but I had to do something.”
Despite feeling extremely frightened at the time, when faced with the decision to fight back or flee, her anger was ignited as she was determined to protect her family’s business.
Ouhan’s family mentioned that they are still assessing the missing items, including valuable jewelry such as diamond rings, gold chains, and bracelets.
This was the second time the family has been targeted, as they previously experienced a robbery at another store in San Bernardino, resulting in thousands of dollars in merchandise losses and repair expenses.
The suspect is currently on the run, and the Montclair Police Department is urging the public to provide any information by contacting them at 909-621-4771.