{"id":24428,"date":"2016-06-16T15:23:14","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=24428"},"modified":"2016-06-16T15:25:14","modified_gmt":"2016-06-16T22:25:14","slug":"9-suspects-indicted-allegedly-committing-smash-grab-robberies-jewelry-stores-southern-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=24428","title":{"rendered":"9 Suspects Indicted for Allegedly Committing “Smash and Grab” Robberies of Jewelry Stores in Southern California"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Law enforcement officers Thursday arrested four defendants who are charged in a federal indictment with conspiring to plan \u00a0smash-and-grab robberies that targeted millions of dollars worth of Rolex and other high-end Swiss watches being sold at retail outlets across Southern California, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

The indictment charges a total of nine defendants, six of whom allegedly planned the robberies, and three of whom allegedly participated in one or more of the robberies.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to four defendants arrested \u00a0by special agents with ATF and deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff\u2019s Department, three defendants are already in custody, officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Authorities are continuing to search for two remaining defendants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Members of conspiracy allegedly selected jewelry stores based on their inventory of expensive watches, including those manufactured by Rolex, Audemar Piguet and TAG Heuer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The organizers recruited financially desperate young men to perform the smash-and-grab robberies, often by promising large sums of money if they were successful. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, when those involved in the actual robberies were eventually paid, they often received much less than what they had promised, despite stealing watches and other jewelry worth approximately $6 million, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 13-count indictment, which was returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Santa Ana on June 8, charges all nine defendants with violating the Hobbs Act by conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery.<\/span><\/p>\n

The conspiracy count alleges a string of 10 robberies between early August 2015 and April of this year. One heist at a store in the Century City mall allegedly netted watches worth more than $1.6 million and involved one of the robbers firing a shot from a rifle at a security guard who was trying to secure the store.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a fine example of another successful collaborative effort between the Los Angeles County Sheriff\u2019s Department\u2019s Major Crimes Bureau and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,\u201d said Captain Myron Johnson of the Sheriff Department\u2019s Major Crimes Bureau. \u201cInvestigators from both agencies worked countless hours to bring several individuals who operated a highly sophisticated robbery crew to justice. This crew victimized a number of luxury, high-end watch establishments causing millions of dollars in losses to the victims.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The nine defendants are each charged in at least one of six counts alleging a Hobbs Act robbery. Five of the defendants are charged in at least one of six counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, authorities said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The nine defendants named in the indictment are:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n