Hector’s Jewelry, the small repair and retail shop on Chambers between West Broadway and Church, was held up at gun point yesterday afternoon. I spoke to owner Hector Chamorro today and he is fine, though very shaken up. (Thanks to Claudine Williams for catching this on the Citizen app.) (And by the way, Hector is a real neighborhood treasure. He has fixed so many special items for me — and I love the charms he has for sale.)

Around 1:50 in the afternoon, Hector said a man pulled on the door, which he keeps locked, and he buzzed him in. Three more men then sprung inside immediately, one brandishing a gun and demanding the cash from the register. Hector hit the alarm button, which makes a loud noise, and the three ran, empty handed.

“Thank God I had the alarm and thank God they didn’t take anything,” Hector said. “They just scared me. I didn’t sleep last night.”

Police reported that one of the men attempted to remove a tray containing jewelry but dropped it while fleeing the location. The suspects fled on foot westbound on Chambers Street. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.

Police also reported that at 6:45 yesterday evening, three men entered the newsstand in front of 100 Church, displayed a knife, pushed the man working there into the corner and took the cash register containing approximately $2800. All three individuals then fled the location on foot, eastbound on Park Place. The empty cash register was recovered on Park Place. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.