WATCH: Surveillance video captures smash-and-grab robbery; thieves steal $20K worth of jewelry

Security cameras captured a swift and aggressive robbery at a jewelry store in Houston earlier this week.

The crime took place on Nov. 21 just before 2:45 p.m. at Arnold’s Jewelry & Watch Repair, a jewelry store located inside of El Ranchero Supermercado at 11303 Veterans Memorial Dr. in northwest Houston.

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Arnold, the store’s owner, was fixing a bracelet when he heard the glass shatter on his display case after it was smashed by a mallet.

As the footage shows, three men wearing all-black outfits with hoods reached through the dismantled case and grabbed jewelry. In an attempt to defend his property, Arnold threw an item from the counter at the crooks, but they sprinted away with the stolen goods. They had fled the scene less than 10 seconds after breaking the glass.