3 Men Are Sought in Attempted Robbery

Police searched for three men Tuesday who fled an Encino jewelry store after one of them shot the owner in the chest during an apparent attempted robbery.

The owner of Pascal Jewelry and Watches, whose name was not released, was in critical condition at a local hospital, police said.

The three men approached the store in the Encino Place shopping mall in the 16100 block of Ventura Boulevard about 11 a.m., said Det. Rick Swanston of the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley Division.

One man was buzzed in by a clerk and appeared to be a customer, while the other two waited outside. As the clerk helped the man, the store owner noticed he had a gun.

A shootout ensued, but it was unclear who fired first and whether the gunman also was injured. All three men drove off in a black sport utility vehicle, heading east on Ventura Boulevard.

Swanston said the store’s surveillance camera was not working at the time and that it appeared that no property had been taken.

The shooting and attempted robbery were uncommon occurrences for the open-air mall, which houses a number of fashion boutiques and restaurants. Shop owners and patrons said celebrity sightings are usually more common than incidents involving police.

Mall manager Robert Hakimi said the jewelry store had been robbed before, but at night.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the LAPD at (877) LAW-FULL, or (877) 529-3855.