The owner of the store is mad, blaming police.
The robbery in broad daylight on busy Greenwich Avenue happened Tuesday morning about an hour after Betteridge jewelers opened for business.
Two masked men walked in, threw an employee to the ground and told the others to lie on their stomachs. Meantime employees in the back of the store called 911.
The suspects were armed with sledgehammers and broke two display cases, scooping up watches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Betteridge is one of the oldest and most prestigious jewelry and watch stores in the country.
No one was hurt, the suspects took off--possibly into a waiting white Honda. The owner of the store cites a lack of police presence in the area.
For decades police officers have manned intersections on the avenue lined with posh stores. But last year, the post near the jewelry store was eliminated.
The chief says the move not only saves money, it frees up two officers for patrol.
---
Do you have something to add to this story? Click here to contact Eyewitness News.