According to the recent news update, the owner of the California jewelry store fended off around five smash-and-grab robbers and suspects after he flashed his legally owned gun, according to the police.
The man has been identified as Usman Bhatti by KTVU, who foiled the attempted theft at his store inside the Tanforan Mall which is located in San Bruno at around 1 p.m. happened today in California.
Usman Bhatti, who was carrying a legally permitted firearm, drew his gun after a man attacked his store and cracked the display case, and then threatened the owner with the crowbar, as per the police.
After Bhatti pointed the gun towards the would-be robber and suspect and shouted at him to stop, the crowbar which the suspect was holding fled towards the food court of the mall, authorities of the mall said.
After that, another male suspect took out his gun and aimed at Bhatti, police further stated.
The owner was supposedly well-trained with his firearm towards the gun-wielding suspect, who ran away with their remaining cohorts.
No shots were fired from the gun during the attempted robbery and no casualties were reported so far.
Bhatti told KTVU that, “he had no other option than to pull out his gun.”
“I’m not trying to be a hero or a macho man … it just happened very quick and I had no choice,” he told the outlet.
The smash-and-grab activities are on the rise in the country where most of the frustrated California residents have struggled to deal with the stance of criminal justice system.
According to the Dailymail, “Just last week a group of thieves, two of whom didn’t even bother covering their faces, were caught on camera filling trash bags with cosmetics at an Ulta Beauty salon in Los Angeles County as a security alarm blared and fed-up shoppers groaned.”
