Jewellery shop staff chase thieves out with ring-sizing stick

Jewellery shop workers in Melbourne have taken on armed robbers who targeted their store.

The bandits smashed display cabinets before stealing expensive items as terrified shoppers watched.

The family-owned business inside the Craigieburn Central shopping centre was targeted by two armed men who used metal poles to smash open cabinets and steal jewellery worth thousands.

The thieves were quick, in and out in 30 seconds.

Shoppers ran and hid inside other stores, while businesses shut their roller doors just during the drama about 11am.

Police called the raid ” disgusting”.

“It’s pretty disgusting that they can walk into a busy shopping centre on a Sunday morning and cause panic and hate, havoc to people who are just going about their normal business,” Detective Sergeant Adam Foley said.

A staff member chased the thieves out with a ring-sizing stick.

“They’re a bit shaken up but obviously one of them was also rather brave in that they chased one of the offenders out,” Foley said.

The offenders escaped the scene in a getaway car waiting outside.

Police are looking for a dark coloured Mazda CX5, as well as four offenders.