Two masked suspects broke into Rafaela Jewelry on the 700 block of South Broadway Street before dawn Thursday, then rammed a van through the store’s front door as they fled, leaving behind shattered glass countertops and jewelry scattered across the floor. Los Angeles police had not determined what, if anything, was taken from the shop as of Thursday afternoon.
According to KTLA, LAPD received a call reporting the break-in around 2:45 a.m., and officers arrived at the scene several minutes later to find the suspects already gone. Police said the two suspects had been seen taking goods from the store before fleeing in two separate vehicles described as a dark-colored sedan and a white van. Investigators have not released further details, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Rafaela Jewelry is a custom jewelry manufacturer and retail storefront at 732 South Broadway, specializing in custom diamond and gold jewelry design and repairs. The shop sits in the 700 block between 7th and 8th streets, right in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles’s historic Jewelry District.
A District Built on Gold, and a Favorite Target
The Downtown L.A. Jewelry District, centered along Hill, Olive, and Broadway streets between 5th and 8th streets, is the largest jewelry trade hub in the country, home to roughly 5,000 businesses generating nearly $3 billion in annual sales, per PriceScope. The district is a hub for jewelry businesses and high-value merchandise…