Jewelers anxious after brazen theft at International Plaza

Four days after a well-dressed man walked into her jewelry store, pointed a gun and ran away with two expensive rings, Susan King says she and her family are scared but trying to maintain their business as usual.

"This is not an easy business to run," said King, who co-owns King Custom Jewelers at International Mall, 2223 N. West Shore Blvd. "You have a gut feeling, but you don't want to suspect everyone. With the grace of God, we will continue our business. Nothing has changed."

Shortly after noon Monday, a man at the store asked to see two rings his wife had noticed in the window, Gabriel King, who also co-owns the store, said Wednesday.

Susan King showed the man one of the rings, who then made some suspicious movements, King said.

"She tried to take the ring back from him," Gabriel King said. "He reacted aggressively and grabbed another ring from the display window," bruising her hand in the process.

Gabriel King said the man pulled out a gun when confronted.

"He pointed the gun toward me," King said.

The man pushed King aside and ran out into the mall. King and other mall workers followed, but the man escaped into a waiting white Dodge Caravan, he said.

The van was later found in a nearby parking lot, according to a police report. The van had been stolen from Lakeland, the report said.

Police said the robbery was highly unusual.

"It was extremely bold and brazen to pull a gun in broad daylight in a busy mall," police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.

King said the incident was captured on video, which was turned over to the police and released to the public Wednesday afternoon.

The rings were valued at a combined $285,000, according to a police report. Both were platinum, he said. One was a pear-shaped diamond weighing 9.08 carats. The other was a 2.08-carat ring. Both were set in mountings with many more diamonds, King said.

The man with the gun was described as a white male, 38 to 40 years old, 6 feet 4 inches tall and 180 pounds with dyed blond hair. He was wearing a gray suit.

There was no description for the van driver.