3 arrested after smash-and-grab robbery at Tustin jewelry store prompts police chase

Three men were arrested Tuesday after authorities say they carried out a smash-and-grab robbery at a Tustin jewelry store, then led police on a car chase that ended in a crash.

The Tustin Police Department responded around 2:30 p.m. to a report of multiple suspects smashing display cases inside a jewelry store at The District at Tustin Legacy, a large outdoor shopping center.

When officers arrived, the suspects fled the scene in a white SUV — heading onto the 405 Freeway before exiting in Westminster, police said.

The vehicle then struck a fire hydrant, prompting the driver and two other male suspects to flee on foot, according to authorities.

Following a search involving officers from Tustin and Westminster, police arrested Kristen Tytrell Woods, 20, of Los Angeles, and two unnamed minors. No injuries were reported.

Police say they recovered stolen jewelry and are working with the store owner to confirm all items have been accounted for.

Thieves with hammers and tire irons smashed through glass counters and took $87,000 worth of jewelry at another Tustin jewelry store last year. Following a six-month investigation, authorities arrested six suspects.

Tuesday afternoon’s robbery comes on the eve of a press conference Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer has scheduled to discuss smash-and-grab crimes.

O.C. supervisors and local police chiefs will also join Spitzer at his office in Santa Ana to discuss efforts to combat residential and commercial burglaries across the county.