Police searching for suspects who used sledge hammers in smash-and-grab robbery

Nassau County Police Major Case Bureau detectives were searching Monday for four suspects who looted a high-end Greenvale.jewelry store over the weekend in a smash-and-grab robbery.

The robbery occurred about 4 p.m. Saturday at London Jewelers, 180 Wheatley Plaza, police said.

The male suspects, all dressed in black, entered the store and began smashing display cases with sledge hammers, according to police. They removed watches before fleeing the scene in a vehicle headed toward Northern Boulevard. Police did not estimate the value of the stolen goods.

No customers were in the store at the time, but police said five employees were present. There were no reported injuries.

Police would not immediately say if detectives are seeking any links to similar recent robberies. Last month, the NYPD reported a smash-and-grab robbery at a Zale's jewelry store in Queens Center Mall. In that robbery, which took place at about 7 p.m. on June 6, two suspects and a female lookout walked into the store, smashed glass cases and fled with $111,000 worth of jewelry, police said.

An NYPD spokeswoman said no arrests have been made in that case — and could not say if the NYPD and Nassau police are looking at whether or not the cases might be connected.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the London Jewelers robbery to call 911 or Nassau Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”