Two attempted robberies of jewelry stores in late October turned horribly wrong for the alleged thieves as they were both fatally shot, according to media reports.
Both events were reported by the Jewelers’ Security Alliance in its “Crime Alert” electronic newsletter.
The most recent incident happened Oct. 25 when a pawn shop clerk in Houston fatally injured an armed man allegedly attempting to rob the business, the Houston Chronicle reports.
The gunman, identified as Clifford Jerome Thomas, 36, wore sunglasses and a cap as he entered Gulf Coast Pawn and Jewelry store at about 6 p.m., the newspaper reports.
Thomas threatened to kill the owner, who was working behind the counter, the newspaper reports. He took out a pair of handcuffs, ordering the man to his knees. When the owner refused to comply, Thomas fired at him, but missed. The owner was able to retrieve his own pistol and shot Thomas several times, deputies said.
Thomas, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, died of his injuries at a local hospital, the newspaper reports. The owner was not injured.
The newspaper reports the case will be referred to a grand jury.
A day earlier, a man near Frederick, Md., was shot and killed when he allegedly lunged at Maryland State Police troopers with a pair of scissors, The Frederick News-Post, reports.
The name of the suspect, a 40-year-old Frederick resident, was withheld, the newspaper reports.
The shooting happened around 11 a.m. south of the Francis Scott Key mall, just outside the city, where the suspect allegedly stole a necklace worth more than $500 from a Kay Jewelers store, the newspaper reports.
The deputy chased the man on foot and caught up with him in a nearby office park, the newspaper reports. The suspect, stopped running and brandished a pair of scissors.
According to police, the man ignored orders from the deputy and troopers to drop the weapon and he lunged at the troopers the newspaper reports. The deputy then fired his service revolver.
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