Three-striker who robbed Rancho Cucamonga jewelry store sentenced to 50 years to life in prison

An Ontario man who robbed a Rancho Cucamonga jewelry store and pistol-whipped the store owner has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison.

Christopher Lamar, 30, has two prior convictions for residential burglary in San Bernardino County, making him a three-strikes felon, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office.

Lamar's sentencing last week follows his convictions for armed robbery and assault with a semi-automatic firearm and other charges for the afternoon robbery of Gemma Jewelers in downtown Terra Vista two years ago.

On October 15, 2022, Lamar entered the jewelry store wearing a safety vest and armed with a handgun, shouting “this is an attack.” His accomplice wore an Amazonian vest and both wore masks and gloves.

Lamar then ran up to the owner and beat her with the gun, then smashed the jewelry cases and demanded money.

He then stole jewelry worth about $20,000 as well as the owner's iPhone, according to the prosecutor's office.

People at the store and in the mall were able to provide detectives with the make, model and license plate of the fleeing vehicle, and surveillance video also captured the vehicle.

After the theft, the store owner's cell phone was found near a train track and the suspect vehicle was found abandoned. Lamar was identified as the primary suspect and, at the time, was the subject of an arrest warrant for burglary.

Lamar was arrested On October 19, 2022, at the Inland Center Mall in San Bernardino, he was in possession of a non-serialized semi-automatic firearm, according to the prosecutor's office.