Police searching for two men suspected in Downtown jewelry store robbery

Pittsburgh police are investigating the robbery of a Downtown jewelry store Monday evening.

The owner of Jewelry Deposit on Smithfield Street told police two men walked into the store with towels covering their faces just before 8 p.m., police spokeswoman Diane Richard said.

Both men appeared to be carrying black pistols. One man told the owner to lay on the floor, and the other tried to close the front window's blinds, Richard said.

The men took an undisclosed amount of money from the register, and from a bag that also contained jewelry, Richard said. They left the jewelry, she said.

The owner told police the men put plastic zip ties on his wrists and put in him in a closet, Richard said.

The owner said he got out of the zip ties, ran from the store and saw a dark, four-door vehicle make a U-turn and head outbound on Smithfield Street toward Station Square, Richard said. Police searched the area, but couldn't find the vehicle, she said.

Robbery detectives are investigating and ask anyone with information to call 412-323-7151.

Margaret Harding is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach her at 412-380-8519 or mharding@tribweb.com.