Jewelry store owner has a little surprise for masked smash-and-grab thieves: 'It really p***es me off'

A North Carolina jewelry store owner had a little surprise for masked smash-and-grab thieves who targeted his store in Charlotte last week: a loaded gun he pointed right at them.

What are the details?

The crooks entered Ballantyne Jewelers off Johnston Road just before closing Friday, Queen City News reported.

Security video caught the three thieves backing up their car near the front door, walking into the store armed with sledge hammers, and smashing several glass display cases, the outlet said.

But the store’s owner, Yuhan Tikan, wasn't having it.

Queen City News said Tikan grabbed his handgun, loaded it, and chased the suspects away while pointing the gun at them.

“It really pisses me off; it makes me upset,” Tikan told the outlet. “It quite honestly is a disgrace, and I hope that law enforcement can catch these guys and put them away for a long time.”

Image source: Queen City News video screenshot

The store owner told WSOC-TV the crooks smashed 13 jewelry cases and got well over $100,000 worth of jewelry — and while it’s all insured, he said what was stolen in 30 seconds will take a long time to replace.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, Queen City News said, adding that there's a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

What else?

WSOC's story didn't name the jewelry store owner, but the owner did tell the station the suspects knew exactly which cases to hit and had cased the business previously. WSOC added that the owner said the crooks went straight for the most expensive watches.

The owner also told WSOC that the thieves may have kept grabbing more loot had he failed to grab his gun after hearing the sound of shattering glass — and he didn't hesitate: “Without a second thought. I needed to protect my business, my family.”

He added to WSOC that "they are lucky they ran out. I was ready to shoot."

The owner added to WSOC that Ballantyne Jewelers is a family shop and that employees spend more time there than at home. What's more, he added to the station that working family members were the only employees in the store when the crooks struck.

“Hard work for us, easy money for them,” the store owner added to WSOC.

When he grabbed his gun, the store owner told the station he "put the clip in, cocked it, and charged the three guys" and that he was angry at them for "intruding on our family, intruding on our customers, and our personal business."

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