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Beverly Hills Jewelry Robbery: Guilty Plea in $2.7 Million Smash-and-Grab August 05, 2024 (0 comments)

Beverly Hills, CA--A Long Beach resident pleaded guilty to his role in a $2.7 million robbery at a Beverly Hills jewelry store, admitting to using heavy tools to smash a glass display case and steal jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, rings, and watches.

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According to a report in CBS News, Jimmy Lee Vernon III confessed to the federal charge of interference with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act.

The March 2022 smash-and-grab, committed with two accomplices, occurred in front of employees and was witnessed by several people. One accomplice has pleaded guilty, while the other awaits trial.

The robbery took place around 2 p.m. on a Tuesday at Luxury Jewels on South Beverly Drive.

According to the report, the robbers stole 20 watches, 19 bracelets, seven pairs of earrings, eight rings, four necklaces, and a pair of obelisks.

Vernon, along with two other men and a juvenile, was arrested six months later. Investigators identified the suspects after Vernon left his cellphone at the scene and abandoned a stolen Kia vehicle nearby.

Following the heist, police reported that the robbers escaped in a white Audi. Two days later, one suspect posted photos on Instagram with large stacks of cash and messages praising the "robbery gang," according to court documents.

The report noted that Vernon, 32, faces up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing set for October 10. He has been in custody since his arrest in September 2022.

Deshon Bell, a 22-year-old accomplice, pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery in December and received a sentence of one year and one day in prison. Ladell Tharpe, aged 39, pleaded not guilty, with his trial scheduled for October 8.

The FBI and Beverly Hills Police Department conducted the investigation.

Learn more in this report in CBS News.