Robber swipes gold necklaces

An unemployed man has been arrested for stealing about 100,000 yuan ($16,090) in gold jewelry from a store in a Minhang district shopping mall, local police said Monday.

The suspect, surnamed He, 33, from Yunnan province, entered the store around 8 pm Sunday wearing a gauze mask and carrying a hammer and a kitchen knife, according to a press release from the Minhang District Public Security Bureau.

He walked directly to a gold jewelry counter, took out his hammer and smashed open the glass case, according to the surveillance video footage posted on the news website xinmin.cn. He swiped several gold necklaces and made for the exit.

At first the store's employees and customers backed away from He as he pounded on the jewelry case, the video shows. However, they quickly recovered and pursued He out of the store, even as he tried to fend them off with the knife.

At least six people joined in the chase. One, a university student, grabbed He's hand as He tried to cut him, according to the report. Another tripped the thief.

Two police officers arrived later and arrested He with the assistance of the pursuers, according to the press release. Police confiscated 14 gold necklaces from him.

He, who didn't have a stable job, decided to rob the store so he could pay back his credit card debt.

Police said that a jeweler valued the stolen necklaces at more than 100,000 yuan.