Jewelry store owners in California fended off a robber who tried to pull off a smash-and-grab heist over the weekend.

Surveillance video showed the family and workers swarming the would-be thief — a heavyset man with dark skin, who was wearing all black — as he was trying to rob Meza’s Jewelry in El Monte, according to multiple local news outlets who spoke with the family.

The suspect entered Meza’s around 2:30 p.m. Saturday after pepper spraying people inside and outside the store before using a hammer to smash the glass cases. 

Store owners and employees quickly gathered themselves and began attacking the assailant by punching and wrestling with him. One of the people inside eventually got a hold of a stick and began beating the suspect with it.

The thief became so desperate to get away from the drubbing that he ditched his shirt as he ran out of Meza’s.

“We worked so much for it,” one of the store’s co-owners, who asked to remain anonymous, told local Fox affiliate KTTV. “We used to work day and night — and just to have someone to come and grab your stuff — it’s not fair.”

Another store owner told KCBS-TV that the robber threatened to shoot members of the family over the beatdown.

Police haven’t reported any arrests.

The incident in El Monte comes after two 7-Eleven clerks in Stockton fought off a brazen robbery attempt in July by holding the thief down and beating him with a stick. 

Authorities arrested 41-year-old suspect Tyrone Frazier in connection to the incident last month. 

Prosecutors in the Stockton case said they would not pursue assault charges against the two clerks after police said their actions were under investigation.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.