(AR) Two jewelers outgun seven robbers 03-15-05
Date: Mar 16, 2005 12:30 AM
KATV Channel 7 – Police Continue to Search for Suspects in Attempted
Jewelry Robbery
Address:http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0305/213755.html

Police Continue to Search for Suspects in Attempted Jewelry Robbery

Tuesday March 15, 2005 7:16pm
Reporter: Christina Mu?oz

Little Rock, AR – Several suspects are still on the loose Tuesday
night after police say they tried to rob two jewelry merchants in
Little Rock Monday afternoon. Up to seven suspects were reportedly
involved. Two are in custody, one was shot and killed, and three or four
others are still on the loose.

Twenty-eight-year-old Jairo Andres Martinez and 25-year-old Raul Adolfo
Camaro were arrested Monday afternoon on charges of aggravated robbery,
theft, and manslaughter.

Police say the two men plus four or five others, tried to rob two
jewelry merchants from Texas while at Cecil’s Fine Jewelry in west
Little Rock.
(Capt. David Ebinger, LR Police) “I think we probably got at least some
of the individuals from yesterday who really didn’t know what they were
getting into, and an amateur who’s not prepared is more dangerous than
anybody involved.”

A shootout began and the two merchants, who were also armed, shot back
at the suspects. One suspect was hit in the shootout, dropped off near a
local hospital, and later died.

Authorities say this kind of planned robbery is part of bigger
nationwide problem of targeting jewelry stores and merchants.

(Thomas Browne, FBI) “If there’s any engraving on any of the jewelry,
they polish it off. If it’s gold, a lot of times they’ll melt it down
and it becomes unidentifiable pretty quick.”

Police say the merchants in this case were not injured and everyone
involved is lucky to be alive.

(Browne) “We just feel we we’re very fortunate that no one was hit.
Obviously you can’t count on luck.”

Police say there’s a good chance the other suspects have left the Little
Rock area by now, but ask the public to continue to be on the lookout
for a silver mini-van that may be full of bullet holes.

Meanwhile, prosecutors are reviewing the case to see if any charges will
be filed against the two jewelry merchants.