Daring Rooftop Heist Shocks Manhattan Beach: South Bay Gold Loses Millions

Manhattan Beach, CA – September 7, 2025 – A brazen burglary at South Bay Gold, a family-owned jewelry store located at 2413 N. Sepulveda Blvd., has left the Manhattan Beach community reeling. Over the Labor Day weekend, between midnight and 4 a.m. on September 1, 2025, thieves executed a meticulously planned heist, cutting through the store’s roof and emptying safes of nearly the entire inventory—estimated to be worth millions in gold, jewelry, and watches.

A Sophisticated Break-In

The burglars, whose number remains unknown, accessed the store by cutting a hole in the roof and breaching a shared wall with the neighboring business, Coast Music. Using a blowtorch, they cracked open multiple safes during a nearly 10-hour operation, recharging their power tools via outlets in the adjacent music store. The audacity and precision of the heist, carried out while the store was closed for the holiday, have stunned local authorities and residents alike.

“It’s like something out of a movie,” said Beth Rohde, owner of Coast Music, whose surveillance cameras captured critical evidence. “They were in there for hours, and they didn’t leave much behind.”

A Devastating Loss

South Bay Gold, part of a 102-year-old family franchise with locations in Redondo Beach and Torrance, suffered a catastrophic loss. “All the safes have been opened. Everything has been taken. They didn’t leave nothing,” a store manager reported. One of the owners, too distraught to visit the Manhattan Beach location, described the incident as unprecedented in the business’s century-long history. The store remains closed as owners assess the damage and redirect customers to their Torrance branch.

The financial toll is immense, with losses potentially threatening the viability of the Manhattan Beach location. The exact value of the stolen goods is still under evaluation, but early estimates place it in the millions, making this one of the largest jewelry heists in recent Los Angeles County history.

Investigation Gains Traction

The Manhattan Beach Police Department is actively investigating, with Detective Connor Hedde leading the effort. A breakthrough came from surveillance footage provided by Coast Music, which captured a clear image of one suspect’s face. The footage shows the individual working for hours, plugging tools into outlets, and even leaving blood at the scene after cutting their hand—a critical piece of DNA evidence now being analyzed.

“We’re hopeful this evidence will lead us to the perpetrators,” said Detective Hedde. The police have urged local businesses and residents to review security footage from the early morning of September 1 for suspicious activity, such as unfamiliar vehicles or individuals. Tips can be reported to Detective Hedde at 310-502-5121.

The burglary was discovered by a morning cleaning crew at Coast Music, who noticed a hole in their classroom wall and alerted authorities and South Bay Gold’s owners. “We’re just glad our cameras caught something useful,” said Joshua Hill, a Coast Music employee. “This could help catch whoever did this.”

Part of a Larger Trend

This heist is the latest in a string of high-profile jewelry store burglaries across Southern California. Similar incidents have struck Simi Valley, Glendale, and Encino in 2025, including a Simi Valley heist that netted over $2 million in stolen goods. Unlike the smash-and-grab robberies that have plagued the region, such as one earlier in Manhattan Beach where five thieves smashed showcases, this burglary was a stealthy, prolonged operation exploiting the holiday closure.

Crime trends in Los Angeles County paint a mixed picture. While the city of Los Angeles reports a 17% decrease in violent and property crimes compared to last year, LA County has seen a 5% rise in violent crime, driven by a 22% increase in aggravated assaults compared to pre-pandemic levels. Sophisticated burglaries like the South Bay Gold heist, amplified by social media and news coverage, contribute to heightened public concern about safety.

Community and Business Impact

The burglary has rattled the Manhattan Beach business community, particularly small, family-owned enterprises like South Bay Gold. Employees and neighbors expressed shock but also hope that the surveillance footage and DNA evidence will lead to arrests. “This is a tight-knit community, and something like this hits hard,” said Rohde. “We’re all rooting for justice.”

As the investigation continues, questions linger about whether the perpetrators are part of an organized crew targeting high-end retailers across the region. For now, South Bay Gold faces an uncertain future, and the community awaits answers in one of the boldest heists to strike Los Angeles County in years.

subscribe for updates and latest LA Crime News!

LA Crime Blog is sponsored by SGV PATROL Private Security Services

for all your security needs contact www.sgvpatrol.com/los-angeles-security