!["[He] busted some of the display cases and grabbed some of the jewelry,” store manager Steven Reiner said.](https://media.khou.com/assets/KHOU/images/00407a04-9023-4379-b347-aa67d4d53671/00407a04-9023-4379-b347-aa67d4d53671_1920x1080.jpg)
HOUSTON, Texas — A west Houston jewelry store was targeted by a thief with a sledgehammer overnight on Wednesday.
Surveillance video shows a man smashing through a plate glass window at Houston Jewelry before entering the store. Inside, pieces of door can be seen flying into the showroom before the suspect is seen sliding over a display case.
"[He] busted some of the display cases and grabbed some of the jewelry,” store manager Steven Reiner said.
The crook, who filled up a plastic bin, was in and out within about four minutes.
"Thankfully, a lot of the items that he got were not highly valuable," said Reiner. "They weren’t gold.”
The store’s most expensive inventory is locked up every night in a safe. The cost of repairs may be much more than the value of what was stolen.
"Thankfully we weren’t here," Reiner said. "Thankfully a lot of the nice pieces were not taken.”
The store is no stranger to break-ins. Back in 2017, an armed man tried to rush in as employees arrived for the day.
Grandmother Judy Memmel told us at the time that her instinct kicked in. She pushed him back out as he fired three times, hitting display cases and the ceiling.
"You have nightmares for several days and it’s just not the same,” Reiner said of being present during an armed robbery.
He considered the latest break-in more of a nuisance and a crime committed by a man someone will possibly recognize.
"And we can bring him to justice,” Reiner said. "People just don’t want to work, a lot of people, so they look for easy targets.”
It appeared the suspect was driving a black Audi SUV.
It is unclear if it may be connected to other burglaries in this same area.
Houston Jewelry, which originally opened 80 years ago, reopened as quickly as it could.