A jewelry store owner defending his shop against brazen daytime would-be robbers in a busy Thousand Oaks mall opened fire and sent the suspects running Tuesday, deputies confirmed.
Deputies received a call of shots fired at 1:15 p.m. at Albert's Jewelry Designs at 2024 E Avenida De Los Arboles, said Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Garo Kuredjian.
The owner fired multiple shots as the men ran for the door and hopped into possibly two getaways cars, deputies said.
The suspected thieves left without getting any merchandise in a dark-colored Jaguar or silver Mercedes with paper plates, officials said.
Investigators are now searching medical clinics as one of the men may have been hit by the owner's gunfire.
Investigators also said that surveillance cameras captured footage inside and outside of the store, but they would not be releasing it yet.
Gordon Tokumatsu contributed to this report.
