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SAN DIEGO — Police say a group of three masked men, one armed with a gun, robbed a Hillcrest jewelry store Monday evening.

The holdup at Bert Levi Family Jewelers, 1050 University Ave., was reported shortly before 5:30 p.m., according to San Diego police.

“There was a lot of people in the parking lot. A lot of people saw so very, very bold,” said witness Lindsay Schimf.

Police say one man threatened a female employee to get on the ground, while the other two smashed cases and grabbed a tray full of rings.

“You don’t put a woman to the ground and put a gun to her head. Scum, absolute scum,” said Gloria Levi, one of the owners of Bert Levi Family Jewelers.

Levi is appalled by the actions of the three robbers and believes they may be involved in a string of similar armed robberies among other jewelry stores.

Police believe the men jumped into a light-colored sedan and drove out of the shopping center, heading west on University Avenue. Two were wearing dark-colored hoodies and one was dressed in a light-colored hoodie. No further descriptions were available.

We’ll have the full story on this armed robbery at a #Hillcrest jeweler + plus the owner’s strong message to the brazen thieves tonight at 10 & 11 on @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/Wq6zV4ulS9 — Kasia Gregorczyk (@KasiaGTV) February 12, 2019

Police confirm three masked people robbed Bert Levi Family Jewelers in #Hillcrest around 5 p.m. One female worker was inside – threatened at gunpoint to get on the ground. Thieves made off with a case of engagement rings. @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/wwO1es5rSl — Kasia Gregorczyk (@KasiaGTV) February 12, 2019

This is the scene outside Bert Levi Family Jewelers in #Hillcrest. Reports of an armed robbery – just waiting on details from police. @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/uT8ynahiCi — Kasia Gregorczyk (@KasiaGTV) February 12, 2019

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