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Jewelry thieves bungle armed robbery

CANTON, Ga. — Canton police released security camera video of two men robbing a jewelry store last Friday. The video shows one of the men pointing a handgun at two women store clerks and ordering them to lie on the floor.

The other gunman smashes a display case and steals items inside. However, when he tried to break into another display case that had more expensive diamond jewelry he could not smash the Plexiglas, even after hitting it with a large mallet that he had in his bag.

The thieves became frustrated and fled the store without taking any more jewelry.

"They are armed and dangerous, and coming into a business during a lunch hour to commit an armed robbery, you have to consider them dangerous," said Canton police Lt. Jeff Tucker.

Tucker told Channel 2's Tom Regan the thieves made their getaway in a truck that had been stolen in Atlanta.

The gunmen abandoned the truck not far from the crime scene. Police have only limited descriptions of thieves because their faces were partially covered up.

Employees at businesses near the Riverstone Parkway jewelry store said they were shaken by what happened.

"It's very scary cause I mean, I grew up here and not a lot stuff like that happens here in Canton," clerk Leigh Branlett told Regan.

Anyone with information is asked to call Canton police.