Video | Kashmiri Pandit-American couple robbed, assaulted in their driveway

An Indian couple in the US state of California was robbed and assaulted by a group of thieves last week. The robbers allegedly followed the couple to their home and struck when the pair pulled up in the driveway.

Priyanka Wali, a Kashmiri Pandit-American and daughter of the couple took to social media to share the CCTV footage of the incident and narrated how her parents went through the terrifying ordeal.

“On December 22nd at 7:48 PM in Fullerton, CA my father DrVijay Wali was assaulted and my mother Dr Wali Jyotika’s purse was stolen containing jewellery and ancestral heirlooms after they returned from the jewellery store in Cerritos. This is calculated organised crime, robbery and assault,” Priyanka recounted.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

According to Priyanka, her parents had gone jewellery shopping when the thieves laid a marker upon them. The couple in their white Tesla was followed by a black Honda Odyssey with a tinted window for over 16 miles. The robbers were joined by another white car in the middle and later the thieves from both cars combined to commit the robbery.

In one of the footage, Vijay Wali could be seen getting assaulted by one of the robbers as he attempted to make a dash to save his wife.

"The person who assaulted my father was speaking Spanish saying "quitaselo, quitaselo" which roughly means "take it from her, take it from her" in referring to my mother's purse. Please share widely so we can find this person," Priyanka said.

Watch |Chicago news crew reporting on robberies gets robbed

According to reports, the thieves took away the treasured family heirlooms known asdejhoor, which are long earrings with unique hexagon pendants that symbolise marriage.

"I mean, that's ancestral jewellery that's been in our family for so long and it's priceless. That's really the most important thing that we want back," Priyanka was quoted as saying by ABC7.

Notably, the Walis, both doctors have served Orange County for the last 35 years but the incident has left a deep imprint on them, with the familyfearful of security within the community.

The authorities have launched an investigation and are using the multiple security camera surveillance videos to track down the thieves.

(With inputs from agencies)