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JSA: Two Ocala, FL-Area Grab-And-Run Thefts Related May 23, 2021 (0 comments)

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Ocala, FL—Two recent grab-and-run thefts that occurred in jewelry stores in the Ocala, FL area are believed to be related. The latest Jewelers Security Alliance bulletin says that on May 11 at 4:07 p.m. the two suspects pictured were in a retail jewelry store claiming to be looking for a watch or bracelet present for their dad. They left claiming they were calling Dad, and returned asking about diamond rings and bridals. They exited again saying they were going to the bank.

They returned a third time, interrupted a sales associate, and spent 20 minutes looking at rings. As the price of a ring was being finalized, the taller suspect grabbed the ring, and both suspects ran from the store. 

One suspect is described as a black male, 18 years old, 6 feet, very thin, with a tattoo on his hand, and long spiky vertical dreadlocks with brown tips, and with a yellow tee shirt pulled up to serve as a mask. The other suspect is described as a black female, 16 to 17 years old, 5 feet 9 inches, very thin, with shoulder length light brown dreadlocks.

A day earlier, on May 10 at 3:15 p.m. two black male suspects were in a retail jewelry store and said they wanted to spend $1,700 on a Mothers’ Day gift. They looked at rings and tennis bracelets. The older suspect said he was leaving the store to get his cell phone to take a picture. Upon his return a ring and a tennis bracelet were placed on a display pad. The younger suspect grabbed the merchandise and both suspects fled. 

One suspect is described as 17 to 18 years old, 6 feet, thin, with a tattoo on his hand, with shoulder length spikey dreadlocks with brown tips. The other suspect is described as 15 to 16 years old, 5 feet and 9 inches, with shoulder length dreadlocks with brown tips. 

JSA’s recommendations: 

  1. Show one item at a time. Grab and run criminals will often ask to see multiple items at the same time. 
  2. Grab and run criminals may begin by asking to see lower priced items, and work up to higher and higher priced items in a completely different merchandise category. 
  3. After being shown a high-priced item, grab and run criminals may leave the store, and return shortly thereafter, perhaps multiple times, asking to see the same item again, trying to get the safest time to do the grab and run.

If you have information about the above incidents, contact JSA at (212) 687-0328, or jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org.

Separately, JSA is pleased to announce that both the suspects in the March 4 robbery of a Richard Mille wristwatch from the wrist of a jeweler dining in a restaurant in Beverly Hills, CA, and the suspects in two armed jewelry store robberies on March 17 and 21 in San Jose, CA, have been arrested. The Beverly Hills watch thieves turned out to be members of the violent Crips gang. The watch remains missing.

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