Articles and News

San Ramon, CA--The U.S. Department of Justice has indicted five men in connection with a high-profile theft in San Ramon earlier this year. The culprits allegedly made away with jewelry and watches valued at roughly $1.1 million from a locally-owned jewelry establishment.

[Representative image via Pexels]

According to a news report published in Kron 4, the accused are identified as Sunia Mafileo Faavesi (30), Ryan Kentrell Montgomery (35), Paul Christopher Tonga (33), John Ioane Tupou (30) and Kyle Vehikite (34).

Details from the criminal affidavit reveal that the group had done their homework, casing Heller Jewelers, situated at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Rd Suite 1506, a week before the theft. The actual robbery on March 17 saw a larger team in action, with eleven individuals, including some armed, orchestrating the robbery.

Per the report, eyewitness accounts and details from the DOJ indicate that while some culprits were executing the heist inside, others were on the outside, overseeing the operation and ensuring a swift escape. The theft unraveled in broad daylight at the bustling City Center Bishop Ranch mall, causing panic as shoppers scrambled away from the armed and masked perpetrators. Four vehicles were utilized in the escape.

The report noted a breakthrough occurred when officials tracked a defendant using GPS data from a pilfered Rolex timepiece. This discovery paved the way to pinpoint the other accomplices and piece together their roles on that fateful day.

On July 26, Faavesi, Montgomery, Tonga and Vehikite were taken into custody, while Tupou remains elusive.

The report highlighted that pending conviction, each accused individual could be looking at a maximum of 20 years behind bars, accompanied by a $250,000 penalty.

Read the original Kron 24 report.