Police: 2 Men Robbed Midtown Jewelry Store In Broad Daylight

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A manhunt is underway for two suspects wanted in connection with a robbery in Midtown.

As CBS2's Ilana Gold reported, the robbery happened at a jewelry store on 57th Street in the middle of the afternoon.

Police said the suspects got away with dozens of expensive watches worth thousands of dollars.

Surveillance cameras captured the two men in baseball caps walk into the Kenjo Jewelry store across from Central Park around 1 p.m. Friday.

Police said one of the suspects pulled out a gun and demanded watches from the workers.

Then the suspects handed the workers bags and forced them to fill them up with merchandise, authorities said.

Investigators said the pair got away with 40 to 50 watches, a number they call significant because in total they're worth more than $70,000.

This is the second armed robbery in the area this week, Gold reported.

Police are also looking for a suspect who robbed the Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue about a block and a half away.

That robbery happened on Monday. Detectives said the suspect targeted a currency exchange business inside the famed hotel and got away with more than $5,000.

At this point, it's unclear if the two robberies are linked, but it is something police are looking into, Gold reported.

Nearby business owners told CBS2's Gold they were worried about the safety of themselves and their employees.

"It's disturbing. I have a business here also," salon owner Tony Rossi said. "It's dangerous. It's a dangerous place we live in now. People are desperate."

Anyone with information regarding the two robberies is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). You can also submit a tip by logging onto Crime Stoppers website or text a tip to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.