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Walton County, FL--In Missouri, four Romanian nationals were apprehended following a jewelry heist at a Walton County store, where over $1 million worth of merchandise was stolen. 

[Image via Fox10]

The suspects, identified as George Paun (31), Stela Sava (26), Terca Tarnovan (31), and Vasile Lacatus (27), are believed to be part of an organized crime network.

According to a report published by Wear TV, on April 11, three suspects reportedly entered a store on 30A in Miramar Beach, stealing numerous pieces of jewelry before escaping in a black SUV. 

Per the report, a Walton County Sheriff's Office investigator recognized the suspects from a previous case in December 2022, where a Rolex was stolen using a sleight-of-hand technique. The same three individuals were persons of interest in that case.

The report noted that following the heist, the SUV was found abandoned, and investigators interviewed a woman who had given the suspects a ride. Surveillance footage confirmed the suspects' identity. With a warrant, investigators tracked a cell phone, which led to collaboration with a New York Police Department detective and a UK police officer. The joint effort revealed that the suspects were part of a 1,400-member-strong Romanian criminal network in the US, with warrants in multiple states.

On Monday, Lacatus' cell phone led authorities to a home in St. Charles, Missouri, where all four suspects were arrested. Investigations involving the Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and numerous state and local agencies are ongoing. Walton County Sheriff's Office expressed gratitude to the St. Charles Police Department (MO), New York Police Department, and Northumbria Police Department in the United Kingdom for cooperating in apprehending the suspects.

Learn the entire report from Wear TV here.