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Hayward jeweler outguns robbers —>
Owner’s rifle —>sends pair fleeing
By Mark Abramson
STAFF WRITER

HAYWARD — One pair of outgunned would-be armed robbers fled downtown
Hayward on Wednesday. But some store owners fear others will be drawn by
a getaway-friendly empty parking lot nearby.

Two men walked into Avalon Jewelers on B Street in downtown Hayward on
Wednesday afternoon and threatened one of the family-owned store’s
proprietors and an employee with guns.

What they didn’t know is that Rod Vargas, another owner, was sitting
behind a one-way mirror overlooking most of the store with a small
arsenal at his side.

Vargas saw what was going on, grabbed his M1 rifle, and pointed it at
one intruder’s head.
The two men fled without taking anything.

“He was looking right down the barrel of the rifle,” said Vargas, 42.
“If we don’t fight back, we are encouraging crime.”

After the ex-military man intervened, he called police, who were there
within minutes. Officers scoured the area for the suspects, but couldn’t
find them.

Vargas said this was Avalon Jeweler’s first brush with armed robbery
since it opened in 1968. He blames the robbery attempt on the vacant
building next door, which housed an Albertsons until November.

An empty parking lot on a large parcel no longer bustling with shoppers
is a good escape route with no witnesses, Vargas said.

He’s not alone in believing that a large, vacant parcel can attract
unsavory characters and crime to downtown Hayward.

If something isn’t done with the old Albertsons property, it could
attract criminals who could spray graffiti and damage businesses nearby,
said Steve Rubiolo, chairman of the downtown area’s Business Improvement
District and owner of Rubiolo Photography, across the street from Avalon
Jeweler’s.

Hayward police Sgt. Rick Camara said there have been numerous robberies
downtown over the past six months. But despite downtown entrepreneurs’
concerns, there hasn’t been an increase in crime in the area since
Albertsons left the building for a new store a few blocks away, police
said.

“I think time will tell,” Camara said. “The only problem we anticipate
at this point (with the vacant building) is maybe some homeless people
breaking in and using it as a place to sleep.”

Another potential problem is people rifling through trash and
recyclables, said Scott Raty, the president and CEO of the Hayward
Chamber of Commerce.

Raty said he would like to see a business move into the building. The
city has contacted some major retailers, including Borders Books and
Music. Albertsons still owns the lease.

City officials have expressed an interest in taking over the long-term
lease, said Albertsons spokeswoman Stacia Levenfeld. There are at least
15 years remaining on the lease for the property, which is owned by Paul
Paulsen.

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