Lombard

DuPage County, Illinois- Two Jewelry Store Burglary Suspects ARRESTED from Ohio Released Pre-Trial by DuPage County Judge After Capture by Lombard Police

by ArrestsBurglaryCrime SuspectsDaily Blog

Lombard, IL– Police officers about 8:56 p.m. Thursday, February 13, 2025, were dispatched to Rogers & Holland Jewelers after receiving information that two individuals, later identified as the defendants, were inside the store approximately two hours after it had closed. Following an investigation into the matter, police discovered that Alls and Butler allegedly used a crowbar to pry open a security gate at the store. Once inside the store, the defendants allegedly stole approximately $137.205.45 worth of merchandise from the display cases. While in the store, Alls noticed a security officer, and yelled “we gotta go!” at which time both offenders fled the scene on foot, ultimately getting into a silver Volvo. Nearby officers located the Volvo at Highland Avenue and Roosevelt Road and observed the license plate was covered by a towel. Officers subsequently conducted a traffic stop and took the defendants into custody without incident. When processing the scene, officers located a crowbar in the backseat of the Volvo. Police also discovered a bag of jewelry allegedly thrown from the defendants’ vehicle near Roosevelt Road and Stewart Avenue, approximately two hundred feet from where the vehicle was initially observed by officers, and about two miles from the Rogers & Holland Jewelers.

“As I have said before, burglary and retail theft are not victimless crimes. Shoppers, employers, employees, business owners and entire communities ultimately bear the cost in the form of higher prices, lost revenue and wages, reduced local economic investment and a lost sense of security. I thank the Lombard Police Department for their work on this case and for their ongoing efforts in keeping our retail establishments safe for employees and patrons. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Sean Kinsella and Michael Pingaj for their work in securing charges against Mr. Alls and Mr. Butler.”

— DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin

“I would like to recognize our patrol officers and detectives for some fantastic professional police work that led to the apprehension of the individuals involved and the recovery of the property stolen in this incident. I would also like to thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his office for their assistance in securing appropriate charges.”

— Lombard Deputy Chief of Police Joe Grage

The next court date for both defendants is scheduled for March 10, 2025, in front of Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of a defendants’ guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

— DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office

Article provided by Arlington Cardinal.com, click here to view article.

Wisconsin

West Allis, WI- pawn shop jewelry theft; 2 men from out of state ARRESTED!

by ArrestsCrime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blogdistraction theft

West Allis, WI- More than $30,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from a West Allis pawn shop.
Two men – one from New York, the other from Washington – are charged with theft.
Court filings said the investigation involved authorities in Illinois and Indiana. Now, two men from opposite ends of the country are charged with theft in Milwaukee County.

Court records identified 23-year-old Procoror Muntean and 26-year-old Retan Varga. Muntean is from Queens Village, New York. Varga is from Kent, Washington. Both men are yet to appear in court on the charges.

West Allis police were called to Pawn America, at 76th and Lincoln, on Feb. 10. According to a criminal complaint, an employee told police that two men came in and asked to see some items from the jewelry case.

Prosecutors said those men, since identified as Muntean and Varga, took several items to the cash registers where one of them asked about some shoes. When the employee went over to the shoes, the men said they needed to get $10,000 to buy the jewelry and then left the store.

Approximately 15 minutes later, court filings said the employee noticed the jewelry he showed the men was missing. The items totaled more than $30,000.

The day after the theft, court filings said a detective from Illinois contacted West Allis police to say one of the Pawn America theft suspects had stolen a watch worth $50,000 from a store there. Investigators then learned Muntean and Varga had been stopped in Indiana, where Muntean was taken into custody for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. In custody there, he admitted to stealing the watch in Illinois.

West Allis police reviewed photos of Muntean and Varga provided by authorities in Illinois. Comparing those photos to surveillance video from Pawn America, the complaint states detectives identified the suspects as Muntean and Varga. Pursuant to a search warrant, Indiana State Police searched the vehicle and found multiple pieces of jewelry believed to have been stolen from Pawn America.

Court filings also noted that a Shorewood police detective contacted West Allis police on Feb. 12. The detective said Muntean and Varga were in a separate Feb. 10 theft in which an $8,000 bracelet was stolen from a jeweler. At this time, the men are not charged with theft from that jewelry.

Article provided by Fox 6 News, click here to view article.

Handcuffs

San Carlos, CA- : 18-year-old arrested in $56,000 jewelry store robbery.

by Armed RobberyArrestsCrime SuspectsCrimes

San Carlos, California – An 18-year-old suspected of stealing $56,000 in jewelry from a San Carlos store in September 2024, along with two other people, was arrested this week.

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s office arrested the Oakland resident on Tuesday, according to a Friday news release. He was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility on robbery, burglary and grand theft charges. The office is continuing to identify and locate two others involved in the theft.

On Sept. 25, 2024, San Mateo County Sheriff’s deputies assigned to the San Carlos Police Bureau responded to the report of a robbery at the Home Consignment Center located in the 1100 block of Industrial Road in San Carlos.

Three suspects smashed the door into the business, which was open at the time, and ran to the jewelry department. The suspects then used hammers to break jewelry cases, stealing approximately $56,000 in jewelry before fleeing the area, according to the release.

Following a months-long investigation from the sheriff’s office, that included assistance from the Milpitas Police Department regarding a similar case, officers identified the suspect. Investigators obtained a search warrant that led to the identification of evidence linking the man to the robbery, according to the release.

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these suspects, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

Article provided by Stephanie Lam of Bay Area News Group. Click here to view article.

texas

Harris County, TX- 4 ARRESTED in connection with a string of smash-and-grab robberies at several NW Harris County jewelry stores

by Armed RobberyArrestsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily BlogSmash and Grab

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Four people have been arrested and charged in connection with a string of smash-and-grab robberies, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

The robberies occurred in November and December 2024 at several jewelry stores in northwest Harris County. Gonzalez said thousands of dollars worth of jewelry were stolen during these robberies. The suspects also allegedly caused thousands of dollars in damage.

The suspects, Dexter Mitchell, 51, his nephew, Reginald Mitchell, 22, Shonton Howard, 26, and Christian Venson, 25, are also suspected of carrying out similar crimes in other parts of Harris County and the Dallas area, according to Gonzalez.

They’re all charged with engaging in organized criminal activity while using a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery.

If you have any information regarding these incidents or information on these suspects, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

Article provided by KHOU 11 News- Click HERE to view article.

Handcuffs

Newark, NJ- ARRESTED- Crew broke into N.J. store through ceiling. Member caught with $10K watch arrested, cops say.

by ArrestsBurglaryCrime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily BlogUncategorized

Newark, NJ– A member of a South American theft group was charged with federal crimes after he was caught with a wristwatch that he allegedly stole from an Essex County mall last year, investigators announced Tuesday.

Gustavo Ignacio Salas Ortega, 33, of Chile, and the group scouted the unidentified jewelry store that was located at a mall “in or around Millburn,” before committing the burglary, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey.

He and the others entered the store through the ceiling and a hole they cut through an adjacent wall to steal multiple pieces of jewelry, the office said.

When police officers arrived at the business on Oct. 5, they reviewed surveillance footage which showed five people wearing masks, gloves, and some wearing reflective vests near the store while carrying bags and a collapsible ladder, according to a criminal complaint.

Further review of the footage showed some of the men, including Salas Ortega, surveilling and scouting the location of the store on both the day of and the day before the burglary, the complaint stated. He was not wearing a mask and his face was visible in the footage.

On Oct. 14, police, including members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, detained Salas Ortega in Rochelle Park. They recovered the wristwatch, which he had also been seen wearing in ATM surveillance footage in New York a few days earlier, authorities said.

Detectives determined that the watch, which had been purchased for $10,800, was at the jewelry store for maintenance work, according tot he complaint.

Salas Ortega was charged with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines, the office said.

“The Joint Organized Crime Task Force has been working tirelessly to apprehend these alleged criminals, following a labyrinth of conspirators that span multiple states,” FBI-Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said in a statement. “These alleged criminals are part of South American theft groups who have been targeting stores throughout the United States for months.”

Salas Ortega was detained Tuesday after his appearance in federal court in Newark, officials said

Article provided by NJ.com, click here to view.

Greece NY

Greece, NY- Three people arrested following smash-and-grab robbery at Greece Ridge mall jewelry store

by ArrestsCrime NewsCrime SuspectsCrime VideosCrimesDaily BlogSmash and Grab

Greece, N.Y. — Three people face charges in connection with a jewelry store robbery at The Mall at Greece Ridge last month.

Police said eight suspects entered the mall wearing masks and gloves Jan. 6, with six of them going to Dubai Jewelry while the other two stayed by the vestibule.

The suspects reportedly jumped the store’s counter and used a baseball bat to break the display cases, stealing roughly $90,000 worth of merchandise.

A Wilmorite security officer reportedly confronted the suspects during the incident but was threatened with a baseball bat. Police said another security officer was nearly struck by a bat that one of the suspects threw.

The suspects allegedly fled the scene in a dark Chevrolet Malibu, later found unoccupied on Lang Street in Rochester. Police said detectives identified two vehicles involved in the crime.

SWAT teams from the Greece and Rochester police departments executed a “high-risk” search warrant Wednesday at an address on Remington Street in Rochester, according to Greece police, with New York State Police assisting them with searches of three other locations.

Police said they recovered “significant physical evidence” during the searches and arrested three people.

Michael Ruiz, 28, Jahrusalem Smith, 30, and Destiny Allen, 41, all of Rochester, were each charged with robbery, grand larceny and criminal mischief.

Article provided by 13 ABC News- Click HERE to view article and video news release

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these suspects or other being sought, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

phoenix

Phoenix, AZ- ARRESTED: Two individuals stole $125,000 worth of jewelry from Valley stores, police said

by ArrestsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blog

PHOENIX, AZ — Two people who police said stole $125,000 worth of jewelry from multiple Valley stores in the span of three days have been arrested, according to officials with the Phoenix Police Department.

The suspects were arrested in the parking lot of a store after stealing a $10,000 necklace, police said. A video posted by Phoenix police, click here to view video/aerticle provided by 12 News, shows the two suspects being shown jewelry, grabbing it, and running away at several different jewelry stores. Officials said they were able to identify the men and link them to a retail theft string.

The suspects have not been identified.

KC

Kansas City, MO- Armed robbery of North KC business leads to charges for 2

by ArrestsCrime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily Blog

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two men have been arrested and charged after the armed robbery of a North Kansas City jewelry business over the weekend.

Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Sunday, Dec. 12, indicate that Terrance M. Johnson Sr., 43, and Ana Loh, 21, of Kansas City, have been charged in connection to the robbery of a local-owned jewelry store.

A probable cause statement filed by the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department revealed that around 1:25 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, emergency crews were called to a family-owned jewelry store in North Kansas City that doubled as the owners’ home.

Investigators said they found Johnson and Loh entered the business with a third unidentified suspect. The three proceeded to threaten a cashier as Johnson pointed a gun at him and took the jewelry out of the case by the register after he demanded the cash from the register.

The victims reported that one of the suspects made their way upstairs where a second victim was held at gunpoint as the location of the safe was demanded. Loh allegedly threatened to kill both victims as well as their family members.

Law enforcement officials noted that the incident was cut short when a customer interrupted and the three suspects ran off – but not before they stole the wallets, phones and keys of the victims.

Detectives said they were able to ping one of the victims’ phones to a location in North Kansas City where Johnson and Loh were found in the passenger seats of a vehicle that had been stolen from the victims.

Investigators indicated that when Johnson exited the vehicle, he attempted to run away but was quickly brought down. Loh was taken into custody without incident. Officers found jewelry from the store along the path he took.

Johnson and Loh admitted to law enforcement officials that they had been involved in the robbery. Johnson was charged with robbery in the first degree and could face up to 30 years behind bars. Loh was charged with 2 counts of robbery and a single count of burglary. If convicted, he could face up to 75 years in prison.

A bond review hearing has been set for Johnson and Loh at 10 a.m. on Jan. 21 with a preliminary hearing expected around 2 p.m. on Feb. 11.

As of Jan. 15, Loh remains behind bars on a $50,000 bond. Johnson remains jailed on a $75,000 bond. No further information has been released.

Article provided by Sarah Motter of KCTV News.

handcuffs1

Roseville, CA- 5 men, 1 teen arrested in $1.5 million jewelry robbery at Roseville’s Westfield Galleria mall.

by ArrestsCrime NewsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily BlogSmash and Grab

Roseville, CA- Five men and a Rocklin teenager were arrested in connection to a $1.5 million jewelry smash-and-grab robbery that took place last year at the Westfield Galleria mall in Roseville, police said Thursday. Three masked robbers smashed glass display cases Nov. 21 at S&L Gem Co. Jewelry using hammers and sledgehammers, said Lt. Chris Ciampa, a spokesman for the Roseville Police Department. The suspects face charges of robbery, conspiracy, vehicle theft and evading police, police said. Anuanu Tuiono, 20; Siafa Fifita, 23; Dahnavan Tuipulotu, 20 and Sione Halaapiapi, 18, all pleaded not guilty at their respective arraignments, according to Placer Superior Court records. It is unclear if a 15-year-old boy will face charges. He was not identified by police because he is a minor.

waldorf

Beverly Hills, CA- Five Arrested After Smash-and-Grab Robbery at Waldorf Astoria Retailer.

by ArrestsCrime SuspectsCrimesDaily BlogSmash and Grab

Beverly Hills, CA- On January 10, 2025, a smash-and-grab robbery of a luxury watch retailer on Wilshire Boulevard resulted in five arrests after a brief vehicle pursuit of the suspects. The robbery took place in the afternoon at Wrist Aficionado, which is located in the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. One security guard sustained injuries during the robbery and is expected to recover. Police continue to search for additional suspects, according to Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) Public Information Office Lieutenant Kevin Orth.

A spokesman for the Waldorf Astoria told the Courier, “Upon being alerted to the situation, the hotel’s security team immediately contacted the Beverly Hills Police Department.” The spokesman said, “The safety and security of our guests and team members is always a top priority, and we continue to make every effort to ensure all practices and standards are in line with strict safety and security protocols. We are working with the third-party store and cooperating fully with local authorities.”

The suspects fled in several vehicles after the robbery. One of the vehicles, a black Mercedes sedan, was located by the BHPD shortly thereafter. When officers attempted to make a traffic stop, the vehicle did not yield. Officers pursued the Mercedes into Bel-Air, with the pursuit concluding on Sepulveda Boulevard and Moraga Drive. Five suspects were taken into custody, along with evidence and property connected to the robbery.

Orth told the Beverly Hills Courier that no officers were injured during the pursuit or arrests.

Arrested were Alexander Cash, 20; Kolion Beyan, 20; Jordan Jackson, 20; Kevin Turner, 23 and James Knight, 19. All are from Los Angeles. All were booked on suspicion of felony robbery, burglary, organized retail theft and criminal conspiracy. Beyan was additionally charged with resisting arrest, reckless evading, assault with deadly weapon or force likely to produce great bodily injury and receiving stolen property. Jordan was also booked on suspicion of reckless evading and resisting arrest. Turner was booked on suspicion of reckless evading and resisting arrest. Knight was booked on suspicion of resisting arrest and receiving stolen property.

The charges of organized retail theft are charges newly available to law enforcement pursuant to a statute that went into effect on Jan. 1. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

The BHPD is still searching for one vehicle as well as several additional suspects.

Article provided by the Beverly Hills Courier, click here to view.