Florida: Jewelry store manager fires shot at fleeing thief

Summerfield, Florida

From the Ocala Star-Banner of June 26, 2009

Jewelry store manager fires shot at fleeing thief

Afer her father's store, Bob's Coins & Jewelry, was burglarized twice, and after hearing about jewelry stores being robbed recently in Ocala, Vickie Buxton decided to take precautions.

Buxton, general manager at the store, took concealed weapons classes and armed herself with guns she keeps at the business in case she encounters an intruder.

She did not have to wait long.

While working at the store, at 17860 S.E. 109th Ave., Suite 621, on Thursday, Buxton shot at a thief after the man entered the building with a hammer, broke a glass case and escaped with an official Vatican Treasury gold medallion worth $20,000.

"I hit the back of the truck," Buxton said, describing a bluish-purple sports utility vehicle she said the robber got into.

She said before the robber entered the store, "The vehicle sat in front for several minutes, and then it drove around the parking lot some more."

Then, she said, the suspect approached the business and pulled a bandana up to his face.

"I yell, 'Gun!,' meaning my employees know I'm going for the gun," she said.

As the robber entered the store, Buxton said she told him, "I'm going to shoot."

The man ignored her and smashed a display glass that contained coins.

Buxton tried to fire a .380-caliber handgun, but the weapon misfired.

The robber grabbed the medallion and as he was heading out the door, Buxton again tried to fire the gun, but it misfired a second time.

Buxton successfully fired a third shot, which struck the back of the SUV.

"He dropped the medallion on the ground. He then picked it up, and got in the truck," she said.

Capt. Tommy Bibb said detectives are looking for the suspect, described as a white male approximately 6-foot tall, of medium build, who was wearing a white jacket or long-sleeved shirt and camouflage short pants.

Bibb said he also wants jewelry store owners to be aware of their surroundings and be mindful of anyone who appears to be suspicious. He said the vehicle in Thursday's robbery did not have a tag.