Akron police suspect a team of four people — including a woman driving a get-away car — were behind a robbery and shooting at an East Exchange Street jewelry store Thursday evening on the edge of the University of Akron campus.
Police said they found a silver Chevy Impala used in the 8 p.m. heist of Sam’s Emporium about six hours later near the intersection of Copley Road and Nome Avenue on the west side of the city.
Investigators described the suspects involved like this:
• White man, 20-25 years-old, 5 feet, 10 inches to 6-2, 160–170 pounds., with blond messy hair and a beard and moustache. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, gray jogging pants and black shoes. The man, who had a handgun, has a birth mark or mole on the left side of his face.
• Black man with dark skin, 20–25 years-old, 5-10 to 6-2, 140–150 pounds, wearing a black mask, a black, hooded sweatshirt with blue stripes, black pants and black shoes.
• Black man with dark skin, 20–25 years old, 5-10 to 6-2, 170 pounds, wearing a black mask, a black, hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes.
• Black woman, no further description, was driving the car.
Police said the three men, armed with handguns and an axe, entered the shop at 468 E. Exchange St. about 8 p.m.
Two of the men used the axe to smash glass jewelry cases and then grabbed miscellaneous jewelry.
During the robbery, a 50-year-old jeweler emerged from the store’s back room and one of the robbers fired a shot toward him as the group fled.
The whole thing happened in less than 20 seconds.
Beacon Journal news partner WEWS News 5 reported that the bullet hit the jeweler’s Citizen watch, ricocheted and split a gash about 6-inches long into his forearm. The jeweler underwent surgery Friday at an area hospital and is expected to recover.