Jewelers on high alert

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- The botched robbery at Traditional Jewelers put

others in the gem trade on guard Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the

Fashion Island shootout.

Edis Florimon, a sales associate at South Coast Plaza’s Ben Bridge

jewelry shop, said he was reluctant to discuss the matter.

“I don’t like to talk about it,” Florimon said. “If it happens, it

happens.”

Over at Carol Klein Fine Jewelry on Bayside Drive, a saleswoman who

wanted to remain nameless said the store was on red alert.

“Everybody’s on pins and needles,” she said. “Just talking on the

phone makes me nervous. It’s a very risky business.”

The local jewelers contacted Wednesday said they could not disclose

details about their security measures. Some said they use electronic

alarm systems. Others, including Traditional Jewelers, hire armed guards.

At Tuesday night’s near-miss robbery, one of the store’s guards was

shot as three masked men opened fire on the shop with automatic weapons.

For former Newport Beach Mayor John Noyes, who owns a jewelry store on

Balboa Island, the robbery attempt has made him reassess his own security

measures.

“It’s always a wake-up call to all of us,” Noyes said. “It’s hard

enough to be in business [and then] to have somebody come in and try to

take it away.”