Surveillance video was released Friday in a smash-and-grab heist at a northwest Harris County jewelry store.

Three masked men armed with sledgehammers busted into the Zales jewelry store Wednesday, smashed open cases and made off with the jewelry.

Just before 1 p.m., three men dressed in all black went into the store at 5302 FM 1960 and Greenwood Forest Drive. The men were in the store for less than a minute, witnesses said.

"It was very scary. I've still got a knot in my stomach," a female employee said. "They had dark clothes on, so I couldn't tell what color they were. All I know is they had black hoodies on. It scared me to death."

William Cook and his wife were the only two customers in the store during the robbery, along with two female employees.

"There's a little buffer room, they call it, and we got in that room," Cook said. "We got in that room. One of the ladies was very hysterical and did a lot of praying while we were back in that little room."

Sheriff's deputies said the men got away in a white, four-door car, possibly a Pontiac Grand Prix, with a paper license plate.

There has been a rash in smash-and-grab thefts at jewelry stores over the past month. Hermes in the Galleria area was targeted by a large group of theives that smashed through its windows and ran out with armloads of merchandise. Ben Bridge inside the Galleria was hit by thieves who used hammers to smash cases and steal Rolex watches while customers were Christmas shopping.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.