Credit Card Denied, Jewelry Store Owner Beaten With Hatchet

A man whose credit card was denied at an El Cajon jewelry store Wednesday afternoon became enraged, pulled out a hatchet and beat the owner of the shop with the blunt end of the tool, then stole a gun from him before fleeing.

The assault and robbery in the 2200 block of Fletcher Parkway occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m., according to police.

Patrol officers arrived to find the proprietor suffering from numerous head injuries, Lt. Walt Miller said. The victim told them he had pulled a small-caliber pistol during the beating and pointed it at the assailant, who grabbed it and wrested it away from him.

The robber then ran out of the store with the gun, got into a tan Toyota 4Runner and drove off to the west. The license plate of the vehicle may include the character sequence 4XU245, Miller said.

Medics took the victim to a hospital, where he was admitted in good condition and expected to possibly be released sometime this evening.

The assailant was described as a thin man in his 20s with a light beard. He was wearing dark-colored pants and a black shirt.

The handgun appeared to have been the only item stolen during the crime, Miller said.

-City News Service