$1M in jewels taken from Phoenix store

Phoenix police said five masked and gloved robbers hit the Bedazzled jewelry store in the upscale Biltmore area early Monday.

The robbers emptied glass display cases and were out of the store within two minutes, police said.

Investigators are still waiting for an inventory list to determine the true value of the property.

Store owner Steve Arkawi told The Associated Press he thinks close to $1 million in jewels were taken and that the thieves had cased the store earlier.

``They knew exactly where the expensive pieces were. They did not touch the silver pieces. I have a lot of unique pieces of art and they did not touch it,'' Arkawi said. ``They must know where to go and what to do.''

The jeweler said he has photos of the stolen diamonds, making it more difficult to fence the material.

``It's hard for them to sell it because it's gone out nationwide,'' Arkawi said.

Detectives have surveillance tape of the heist but have not released it.

At 5:15 a.m. Monday, security discovered the doors to the jewelry shop were broken and entry had been made into the business, police said. The alarm was not sounding in the front but was in the back of the store.

Arkawi said the robbery and losing his merchandise to thieves was a shocking event.

``Oh God, I almost had a heart attack,'' he said. ``It's terrible. My God, the economy is bad and this is not the time for it.''

Phoenix police ask anyone with information to call them or Silent Witness.