New Jersey Jewelry Store Reels After Armed Robbers Escape With More Than $1 Million in Merchandise

A family-owned jewellery store in Woodbridge, New Jersey, is facing a major setback after a group of masked thieves broke into the business and reportedly stole more than $1 million worth of jewellery in a robbery that lasted less than a minute.

The incident happened Saturday evening, Aug. 8, at 9Lakha Jewellers on Oak Tree Road, according to information provided by the store owners and details from the reported police investigation. The business, which specialises in Indian and South Asian jewellery, had been operating for less than a year when the robbery occurred.

The speed of the crime has left the owners struggling to understand how quickly their business was turned upside down.

According to the account provided by the owners, four masked men dressed in black entered the store at about 7:48 p.m. The suspects were carrying sledgehammers and immediately began smashing jewellery display cases.

Surveillance footage reportedly captured the suspects rushing into the store while another masked individual remained near the entrance and appeared to hold the door open. The footage also shows a woman leaving the business and running across the street as the robbery unfolded.

Within moments, the suspects had taken jewellery from several display cases and run outside.

The group then got into an SUV waiting near the entrance. The vehicle reportedly backed into the intersection of Oak Tree Road and Middlesex Avenue before leaving the area on Middlesex Avenue.

For the owners, the financial loss is only part of what makes the incident so difficult.

Sonu Chauhan, who owns the store with his wife, Sushmita Chauhan, said he was helping a customer when the robbers entered. He rushed into an office and contacted police while the customer fled the store.

When Chauhan eventually came out, he said he was confronted with broken glass and largely empty display cases.

Among the items reportedly taken were diamonds and a large selection of South Asian jewellery, including 22-karat gold bangles, necklaces, earrings and rings.

The business represented a major personal investment for the couple. They had opened 9 Lakha Jewellers in the fall of 2025 after moving forward with a plan rooted in their family’s long history in the jewellery trade in India.

For Sonu Chauhan, opening the store also meant leaving his previous career as a software engineer. He invested his savings into the business with the intention of building a future for his family.

Now, the couple faces the difficult question of how to recover from a loss that they estimate at more than $1 million.

The exact amount ultimately covered by insurance was not immediately clear from the information available. That uncertainty could make the rebuilding process even more difficult because replacing high-value jewellery requires substantial capital.

The emotional impact has also been significant.

Sushmita Chauhan described the robbery as the destruction of months of work, planning and financial investment in a matter of seconds. The couple had built the store around more than simply selling jewellery. Their business was also connected to their cultural background and family history.

Indian jewellery often carries cultural and emotional importance beyond its monetary value. Pieces such as gold bangles, necklaces and traditional bridal jewellery can be purchased for weddings, religious celebrations, family milestones and other important occasions.

That connection makes the robbery particularly painful for a business that was created to serve a community with which the owners have a personal connection.

The couple also expressed concern about whether jewellery businesses serving the Indian community have become especially vulnerable to robberies.

They said other Indian jewellery stores in the area have experienced similar incidents in recent months. However, authorities had not publicly confirmed through the information available that the 9-lakh robbery was part of a broader pattern specifically targeting Indian-owned jewellery stores.

That distinction is important. While the owners have raised concerns about possible targeting, there was no public confirmation at the time of the reported incident establishing a motive or connecting the robbery to other cases.

The Woodbridge Township Police Department is the local law enforcement agency responsible for policing the area. The department’s stated mission includes protecting life and property and enforcing federal, state, county and municipal laws.

No arrests had been announced in connection with the 9Lakha robbery in the information available for this report.

The investigation could depend heavily on surveillance footage, witness information and evidence collected from the scene. Investigators may also examine the vehicle used by the suspects and its movements before and after the robbery as they work to identify those involved.

The reported getaway also highlights how quickly smash-and-grab crimes can unfold. Rather than remaining inside a business for an extended period, suspects in these types of robberies can attempt to destroy display cases, remove valuable items and leave before police arrive.

For jewellery stores, the potential losses can be particularly severe because a relatively small amount of merchandise can represent hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

The owners of 9Lakha now have to consider security, insurance, inventory replacement and the future of their business at the same time.

Despite everything that happened, the Chauhans have indicated that they do not intend to walk away from the store.

Their decision to rebuild reflects the same determination that led them to open the business in the first place. Instead of allowing the robbery to end the company’s story, they say they want to recover and eventually reopen with stronger security.

The couple’s experience also serves as a reminder of the risks small business owners can face when their inventory consists of highly valuable goods. For jewellery retailers, security is not simply a matter of protecting merchandise. It can determine whether a business is able to survive a single major incident.

For now, the investigation remains ongoing, and several important questions are still unanswered, including who organised the robbery, where the suspects went after leaving the area, how much merchandise was ultimately recovered, and whether the suspects may be connected to other jewellery store robberies.

The owners are left to begin the difficult process of rebuilding a business that took months of work and personal savings to establish.

For a store that had barely reached its first anniversary, the robbery has created an extraordinary challenge. But the Chauhans’ message remains focused on moving forward.

They say they intend to put the business back together, continue serving their customers and show that one devastating night will not determine the future of their family business.

Sources: Woodbridge Township Police Department; Woodbridge Township, New Jersey; 9Lakha Jewellers; statements provided by store owners Sonu Chauhan and Sushmita Chauhan; surveillance footage from 9Lakha Jewellers.